Examining the effects of education policy implementation on teaching and learning quality in Mogadishu’s secondary schools

Improving the quality of secondary education in fragile and post-conflict contexts depends not only on the formulation of sound education policies but, more critically, on the effectiveness of their implementation at the school level. This study examines the effects of education policy implementation on teaching quality and learning quality in secondary schools in Mogadishu, Somalia. Anchored in Systems Theory and Educational Effectiveness Theory, the study adopts a quantitative cross-sectional design and applies Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart-PLS 4. Data were collected from 271 teachers and school administrators selected through stratified random sampling from public and private secondary schools. The study focuses on three core dimensions of education policy implementation: curriculum policy implementation, teacher professional development, and quality assurance and monitoring, and analyzes their direct and indirect effects on teaching quality and learning quality. The findings reveal that quality assurance and monitoring exert the strongest and most consistent influence on both teaching quality and learning quality, highlighting the central role of supervision, inspection, feedback, and accountability mechanisms in sustaining instructional standards. Teacher professional development has a significant positive effect on teaching quality but does not directly influence learning quality, indicating that its impact on student outcomes is primarily mediated through improved instructional practices. Curriculum policy implementation demonstrates a significant direct effect on learning quality but a non-significant effect on teaching quality, suggesting that curriculum reforms alone are insufficient to transform classroom practice without complementary pedagogical support and institutional monitoring. Teaching quality emerges as the most powerful predictor of learning quality and functions as a critical mediating mechanism linking education policy implementation to improved student learning outcomes. The study concludes that sustainable improvements in secondary education quality in Mogadishu require an integrated policy implementation approach that prioritizes robust quality assurance systems, continuous teacher professional development, and effective institutional support for classroom practice.