Ali Sankari

Type of the article: Research Article

Lebanese technical schools have a vital responsibility to develop young talents and improve their practical abilities. These institutions are assessed on the competencies demonstrated by students, not just on knowledge transfer. Yet graduates face employment challenges due to a focus on theory rather than practical capabilities. This skill gap stems from the mistaken belief that theoretically taught total quality management (TQM) practices alone improve competencies. The objective is to examine the relationship between three total quality management practices and students’ practical competence based on instructors’ perceptions by analyzing the mediating role of instructors’ self-efficacy. A quantitative research design was used, and data were collected via a questionnaire from a random sample of 380 instructors across 12 technical institutions in north Lebanon. Instructor self-efficacy was positively associated with students’ practical competency as perceived by instructors (β = 0.570; p < 0.001). Among TQM factors, process standardization was most influential (β = 0.540), followed by TQM training adequacy (β = 0.511) and Kaizen commitment (β = 0.482). TQM factors predicted instructor self-efficacy, with process standardization (β = 0.823) and Kaizen (β = 0.703) showing the highest associations. All indirect effects were significant, with process standardization (β = 0.560) and TQM training adequacy (β = 0.409) confirming self-efficacy’s mediating role. This study supports instructors’ self-efficacy as a mediator of technical education competency building, offering a differentiated, human-centered perspective. This study can serve as a guide for technical schools by proposing actionable strategies to support practical competencies and promote graduates’ readiness in a resource-constrained context like Lebanon.