Abstract:
This research aimed to 1) examine the current conditions and challenges in basic education quality development, 2) investigate the implementation of internal quality assurance in schools with good practices, and 3) propose guidelines for basic education quality development to support external quality assurance for the period 2024-2028. The sample comprised 148 school administrators and teachers responsible for educational quality assurance. The research instrument was a 5-point rating scale with a reliability coefficient of 0.836. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions on internal quality assurance implementation in schools with good practices, involving 8 experts. Additionally, interviews were conducted with 5 experts regarding internal quality assurance implementation in schools with good practices. The draft guidelines for basic education quality development to support external quality assurance B.E. 2567-2571 were validated through focus group discussions by 5 experts. The research findings indicate that 1) The overall condition of basic education quality development was at a high level. The condition with the highest mean score was policy and management. The condition with the lowest mean score was reserved the best practices implementation. Regarding problems in basic education quality development, the overall level was low. The problem with the highest mean score was developing internal quality assurance systems within schools. The problem with the lowest mean score was continuous school quality improvement. Additional comments included developing a quality assurance system that reflects the unique characteristics of each school and creating understanding among practitioners to integrate quality assurance with routine work operations. 2) The implementation of internal quality assurance in schools with best practices encompasses 8 key areas: 1) Policy and management based on participatory principles, 2) Personnel development focused on knowledge, skills, and collaborative learning, 3) Information systems served as crucial mechanisms for driving school operations, 4) Building collaborative networks with all relevant stakeholders, 5) Preparation for external quality evaluations through understanding criteria, information systems, and environmental factors, 6) Best practices that showed clear student outcomes and could be scaled up, 7) Creating a quality culture by instilling shared values and common goals, and 8) Monitoring and evaluation through systematic planning and continuous improvement. 3) Guidelines for enhancing the quality of basic educational institutions to comply with external quality assurance B.E. 2567-2571 comprise 6 main components: 1) Core principles, 2) Objectives, 3) Conceptual framework, 4) Implementation guidelines, 5) Eight key areas for school quality development, and 6) Success factors. All aspects of these guidelines were validated and approved through expert consensus.