By Philip Maate

CEMASTEA is ISO 9001:2015 certified. It was first certified on ISO 9001:2008 in June 2014. It was thereafter recertified for ISO 9001:2015 in June 2017 and in January 2021. IOS 9001 is the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). A QMS in simple terms refers to a collection of business processes or procedures which aim at ensuring that the quality of products or services offered meets or exceeds customer expectations. Certification is therefore evidence that an organization has a robust quality management system. CEMASTEA has therefore demonstrated ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.

CEMASTEA QMS is headed by the Management Representative (MR) and the ISO committee headed by the ISO chairmen. To ensure high quality standards, CEMASTEA conducts internal quality audits biannually in all its 19 processes. Examples of processes include Training, Finance, Top management, Human Resource, Supply Chain, among others. Quality assurance for the QMS is done by conducting internal audits using ISO: 9001:2015 Standard criteria. CEMASTEA has 49 ISO lead auditors and 17 auditors who take part in the internal audits. Surveillance QMS audits to CEMASTEA are conducted by Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) which is the certifying body. All heads of sections are trained ISO auditors. They therefore understand the QMS and hence ensure that it is maintained at high standards.

The Centre ensures monitoring of quality through:

• Analysis of customer feedback and establishes customer satisfaction index;
• Evaluating teachers trainings conducted  to establish teacher professional development quality index;
• Monitoring achievement of service charter to establish the extent of achievement on quarterly basis; and
• Monitoring performance of external service

Walking the road of QMS has provided immense benefits to CEMASTEA which include:

• Ease and systematic implementation of planned activities due to laid down procedures
• Customer focus where process owners and staff have had increased awareness in meeting customers’ needs
• Improved documentation that has resulted in ease of reporting during evaluation of Performance Contracting
• Ensuring continual improvement through implementation of customer feedback and customer satisfaction survey recommendations.

ISO 9001:2015 certification means that CEMASTEA is a public institution that leads in provision of continuous professional development of teachers in STEM education.