Purpose: This paper discusses awareness by schools of school based self-evaluation (SBSE) in quality management in twenty selected public secondary schools in Lusaka Province, Zambia. It attempts to establish awareness of SBSE in schools in order to assure quality management.

Methodology: The research design was a survey and a mixed methods approach was used. Data were collected using interviews and questionnaires. Interviews were thematically analysed and questionnaires were analysed using statistical package of social sciences. The population sample of three hundred and sixty (360) was used and this included administrators, teachers, pupils and support staff.

Findings: The findings of the study revealed that the participants had an idea what SBSE was, but they were not fully aware that a policy of SBSE from the Ministry of General Education existed. The findings further revealed that schools did not have a locally tailored policy, which made its application to attain assured quality management not effective.

Conclusion and Recommendations: The study concluded that there was no consistency in the way the participants became aware of SBSE. Lack of awareness has compromised the implementation of SBSE to attain quality management in most schools, as stakeholders did not fully appreciate their role in the process of SBSE. The study recommended that the schools were supposed have a deliberate policy, such as periodical refresher courses for administrators and on-going orientation of teachers on SBSE in order for the process to realise its objective.