This study aims to assess the work of supervisory and control authorities in the field of education, as well as to create public control mechanisms for monitoring their activities and the quality of higher education. The research is based on the sociological data obtained by interviewing the members of civil society and the representatives of the education system. The methodological basis of the research is a systematic, comprehensive, structural-functional, institutional approach to the consideration of the public control in the education system. A permanent network of expert organizations should form for education quality. Control and supervisory authorities in the field of education should work more closely with the representatives of civil society. This can be performed through the organization of public councils within the control and supervisory authorities, and in higher educational institutions. The changes in the organization and implementation of public control in higher educational institutions are needed, namely: development of clear and objective procedures for assessing the quality of public university educational services; eliminating unnecessary formalities and bureaucracy in higher education during testing; ensuring greater transparency and accessibility of the results of the state audit to familiarize the public with the reports via the Internet. State regulatory authorities should evaluate not only the educational process, but also the educational activities of higher educational institutions.