TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AS A TOOL FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT IN SECONDARY EDUCATION

Abstract

The increasing emphasis on educational quality and accountability has intensified the need for systematic approaches to school improvement in secondary education. In this context, Total Quality Management (TQM) has emerged as a comprehensive organizational framework that promotes continuous improvement, stakeholder focus, evidence-informed decision making, and participatory management practices within educational institutions. Through bibliographic review, this article aims to investigate how TQM is utilized as a tool for school improvement in secondary education and to synthesize key findings from contemporary literature regarding its implementation, benefits, and challenges. The findings indicate that the implementation of TQM in secondary education is associated with positive organizational and educational outcomes, particularly when supported by participatory and distributed leadership. However, the literature also highlights important barriers, including limited training, lack of resources, administrative discontinuity, bureaucratic pressures, and resistance to change, which often hinder sustainable implementation. Overall, the review concludes that TQM can function as an effective tool for school improvement in secondary education when applied as an integrated organizational strategy rather than as a superficial administrative reform.