Total Quality Management in Mauritian education and principals’ decision-making for school improvement: “Driven” or “informed” by data?

Abstract

Purpose

Reflecting the Mauritian government's “quality” agenda and its focus on school leadership, this paper reports the findings of research exploring Mauritian principals’ views about the use of total quality management (TQM) for school improvement. While aspects of this research have been reported elsewhere, the purpose of this paper is to focus on school leaders’ use of data and evidence in making decisions for school improvement.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports on qualitative aspects within a mixed methods research with data collected by means of semi-structured interviews conducted with a purposive sample of six principals. The analysis of the data were an exercise in grounded theory building.

Findings

The paper expands the knowledge of principals as quantitative data users arguing that qualitative information based on professional discourses, human judgements and lived experiences should be equally valorised if TQM is used for making informed educational decisions.

Research limitations/implications

The research relied on principals’ views as the unique source of data. The perspectives of the other stakeholders would offer a richer description of leadership reality in Mauritian schools.

Practical implications

The paper suggests a more participatory decision-making model for effective change that could rightfully engage all stakeholders through various complementary quantitative and qualitative processes. It further recommends that alongside the core systemic qualities of TQM, there are ethical, moral and cultural dimensions of leadership that could enhance the teaching and learning environment.

Originality/value

While confirming some extant research, the paper brings new thinking to understanding the critical role of principals within the TQM scenario of data-driven decision making.

Citation

Claude Ah-Teck, J. and E. Starr, K. (2014), "Total Quality Management in Mauritian education and principals’ decision-making for school improvement: “Driven” or “informed” by data?", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 52 No. 6, pp. 833-849. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-06-2012-0075