Quality management principles and school quality: Testing moderation of professional certification of school principal in private schools of Pakistan

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test the relationship of process approach (PA), customer focus approach (CFA) and school quality with the moderation of professional certification of school principal to fill the gap of quality management practices in private schools.

Design/methodology/approach

Study applied quantitative design with the sample of 401 principals of private schools. Questionnaires were adapted from different studies, and pilot study was carried out. Confirmatory factor analysis was done along with structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results indicate that the process approach has a significant effect on functional quality and academic quality of schools. Customer focus approach medicates the relationship of process approach and functional quality. The study found no evidence of the relationship of moderation of professional certification of school principal with process approach, functional quality and academic quality.

Practical implications

Study contributed through the generation of new dimensions of school quality, putting professional degree of school principal as a moderator and by providing basis to understand the implementation of quality management system in schools. The outcomes of study will guide school managers to implement the process management approach to improve the school quality.

Originality/value

Originality of the study is defined in three ways; first, it is first study that examines the relationship of process approach, customer focus approach and school quality with the moderation of professional certification of principal. Second, it chooses “single” schools that have not been subject of any quantitative research exclusively. Third, it is a first attempt to examine the working of private schools in Pakistan with respect to quality management principles.

Citation

Elahi, F. and Ilyas, M. (2019), "Quality management principles and school quality: Testing moderation of professional certification of school principal in private schools of Pakistan", The TQM Journal, Vol. 31 No. 4, pp. 578-599. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-11-2018-0173