From Quality Assurance Determinants to Perceived Educational Quality: The Mediating Role of Quality Assurance Implementation in Sindh’s Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools

Abstract

Quality assurance (QA) systems often develop via policies and monitoring tools, training programs, data systems and administrative structures but unless these are implemented regularly, they will not contribute to the improvement of school quality. This study aimed to find out if the QA implementation mediates the relationship between the determinants of QA and the perception of educational quality in public secondary and higher secondary schools of Sindh, Pakistan. 300 education managers, QA officers, school heads, principals and senior teachers were selected using cross sectional of an explanatory survey in 6 administrative regions. Measures included QA determinants, QA implementation and perceived educational quality along with contextual indices of data use, feedback, facilitating conditions and implementation problems. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, multiple regression and the bootstrap mediation analysis were the methods used. The ratings indicated that QA determinants (M = 2.76, SD = 0.37) and QA implementation (M = 3.08, SD = 0.31) were rated in positive direction while the highest rating was obtained for perceived educational quality (M = 3.57, SD = 0.32). There was a strong correlation between implementation of QA and perceived educational quality (r = 0.66). Feedback and follow-up had the highest standardized effect (β = 0.35) and QA determinants was a significant predictor (B = 0.17, p < .001) in the adjusted implementation model. In the quality-outcome model QA implementation continued to be significant (B = 0.26, p < .001). The indirect effect was 0.26 and the 95% CI (bootstrapped) was 0.20 to 0.32; the direct effect was reduced to 0.02 and the proportion mediated was 0.93. The results suggest that policies and resource and data infrastructures affect perceived quality of education mostly through enacted monitoring, evidence use, feedback and follow-up. The study provides the basis for moving away from a compliance-centred inspection towards an implementation-focused QA cycle, guided by professionally supported middle managers.