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| The first step towards raising the standards of school education is to establish a comprehensive evaluation system. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recognizes the importance of developing schools that are ‘hubs of institutional excellence’. The School Quality Assurance & Accreditation, also known as the SQAA framework, is a commitment by the CBSE to help schools evaluate their performance across different domains. It features crucial tools for educationalists, school leaders and management that outlines a set of standards and best practices for attaining institutional excellence.
The central goal of SQAA is enabling schools to self-assess against defined benchmarks; identifying areas of improvement, enhancement of quality, recognition of excellence, promotion of accountability and taking corrective action wherever neccessary. The framework covers key aspects of school management, teaching-learning practices, governance, infrastructure and so on.
Today, we take you through the essential domains of SQAA and explore a three-step guide to initiating the SQAA framework at your school. |
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| The SQAA framework is an affirmation of ‘quality’. This implies that the framework does not involve ranking schools or institutions but rather focuses on setting a standard of acceptable quality across all board-affiliated schools. While the SQAA framework is designed solely for CBSE affiliated schools, it also benefits non-CBSE academic institutions by equipping them with self-assessment tools. These tools can help them in reaching their goals using set benchmarks and standards.
SQAA’s holistic framework covers the following eight facets of school operations, each assigned a specific weightage: |
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| Now that you know about the domains of SQAA, are you ready to drive your school towards unparalleled educational excellence? Kickstart this journey by delving into the 3-step SQAAF assessment process. |
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Self-Assessment by Schools
Built upon the '4R' Quality Cycle, this assessment follows four crucial
steps - Review, Reflect, Respond, and Rate. These steps empower schools to thoroughly assess their existing methodologies and practices. Accompanied by guiding questions for each step, the 4R cycle ensures clarity in the assessment, drawing a parallel between the school's current system and the benchmarks set in the framework.
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Development of School Improvement Plan
After self-assessment, schools review their insights and identify areas of improvement. Subsequently, a detailed action plan is crafted, containing definitive timelines and clearly allocated roles, steering schools to meet established benchmarks.
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Implementation of Action Plan
Once the improvement plan is set, it’s time to bring it to fruition. It is important to focus on outlined tasks to ensure completion within stipulated timelines. One should consider the potential impact of each action before execution by pausing to reflect before implementing any changes. This ‘reflect & respond’ approach ensures a focused and purposeful evaluation, aligning schools with the benchmarks outlined in the SQAA framework for continuous academic excellence.
Embracing this framework doesn’t just elevate school standards but also cultivates an environment where each student can thrive. The SQAA framework allows schools to recognize areas for improvement and take decisive action to improve their overall performance.
For those who’d like to align their school with the SQAA framework, platforms like Extramarks Smart Class Plus offer automated assessments, analytics dashboards, and personalized recommendations, simplifying the evaluation process significantly! |
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