FROM ACCREDITATION TO ACCOUNTABILITY: APPLYING QUALITY ASSURANCE FRAMEWORKS TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC SECTOR GOVERNANCE IN LIBERIA
Keywords:
Quality assurance, public sector governance, accountability, Liberia, post-conflict reconstruction, institutional reform, accreditationAbstract
Liberia, like many post-conflict nations, continues to grapple with persistent challenges in public sector governance—weak institutional capacity, limited accountability mechanisms, and low citizen trust in government institutions. While quality assurance (QA) frameworks have been extensively applied in higher education to ensure institutional effectiveness, their potential application to public sector governance remains largely unexplored.
This article examines how principles and mechanisms from higher education quality assurance—specifically accreditation, program review, and continuous improvement methodologies—can be adapted to strengthen governance, accountability, and service delivery in Liberia's public sector.
Drawing from direct experience, Quality Assurance at the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) from 2016 to 2020, this conceptual article employs a comparative policy analysis approach, examine existing QA frameworks in Liberian higher education, analyze governance failures documented in reports from the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and Governance Commission, and synthesize literature on public sector reform and quality management.
The analysis reveals five transferable QA principles applicable to public governance: (1) standards-based performance benchmarking, (2) self-assessment and peer review mechanisms, (3) documentation and process transparency, (4) stakeholder engagement in evaluation, and (5) the Plan-Do-Check-Act continuous improvement cycle. The article proposes a "Public Sector Quality Assurance Framework" (PSQAF) comprising institutional accreditation for government ministries, performance audits aligned with national development goals, and citizen feedback integration mechanisms.
Adapting quality management approaches from higher education offers a promising pathway for strengthening Liberia's public sector governance. Such adaptation requires legislative backing, institutional capacity building, and a fundamental cultural shift—from compliance-oriented administration to performance-driven governance. The proposed framework holds implications for other post-conflict and developing nations facing similar governance challenges.
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