Stakeholders’ perceptions of the teaching–learning and assessment quality in Ethiopian public universities

Abstract

Ensuring the quality of teaching–learning and assessment processes is a fundamental responsibility of higher education institutions and a critical determinant of institutional effectiveness and graduate competence. This study examined the perceptions of internal stakeholders regarding teaching–learning and assessment practices in Ethiopian public higher education institutions (EHEIs), focusing on undergraduate students, graduate students, instructors, and university officials. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. Eight public universities were selected using stratified sampling, and a total of 1518 participants were proportionally drawn through multistage random sampling procedures. Data were collected using structured Likert-scale questionnaires measuring perceptions of teaching–learning and assessment practices. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Descriptive statistics summarized participants’ perceptions, while independent-samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA with post hoc analyses were conducted to examine differences among stakeholder groups. The findings revealed that participants generally perceived the quality of teaching–learning and assessment practices positively across the sampled institutions. However, undergraduate students consistently reported less favorable perceptions than graduate students, instructors, and university officials. Independent-samples t-tests showed statistically significant differences between undergraduate and graduate students, whereas the perceptions of graduate students and instructors/officials were largely comparable. These findings suggest that undergraduate students experience teaching–learning and assessment practices differently from other internal stakeholders. The observed perceptual differences have important implications for quality enhancement in Ethiopian public universities. The relatively less positive perceptions of undergraduate students indicate the need for targeted interventions to improve their learning experiences. Specifically, universities should strengthen student-centered instructional practices, diversify assessment methods to better support learning, and expand continuous professional development for academic staff. More broadly, the study demonstrates the value of incorporating multiple stakeholder perspectives into institutional quality assurance systems, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of process-oriented quality in higher education and informing evidence-based quality improvement initiatives.