On Seeking High Standards In Adventist Institutions

Abstract

The mission of an organisation is enhanced by meeting quality targets set by external bodies. Providing quality educational outcomes can be viewed in terms of our responsibilities at the international and national levels and to our clients. In a Christian organisation, the Creation and Calvary accounts provide outstanding examples of God’s attitude towards quality issues. He has given us products of the highest quality. Both accounts are set within a global setting indicating our international responsibility. At the national level we have a mandate to cooperate with authorities and lead by example (cf. the prophet Daniel’s account). At this level, Christ also left us an example urging us to be analytical, creative, authoritative, relevant and helpful. Christians are clientorientated. Interest in clients infers a keen interest in quality. The
clients are our parent institutions and their constituencies, our students and the wider community. Our governing institutions rightfully expect us to deliver a quality product because God gave us quality products to market at Creation and Calvary. We must treat clients professionally, give them relevant skills and deal honestly with them. Our graduates will serve communities. Consequently, we are duty bound to teach them community responsibilities.
We are called to be ambassadors for a God who has set very high standards and our mission is thus inseparably connected to quality assurance issues. However, this mission cannot be fulfilled through our educational institutions unless those who work in them experience and project the warmth of a personal encounter with Christ.