Abstract:

Purpose:
The EFQM Excellence Model is a management tool and a self-evaluation instrument, entails specific criteria and it is based on Quality Principals. It is used for each organization continues improvement and effectiveness. Quality Principals are the most powerful pylons for raising educational standards and achieving excellence.
This paper explores the reliability and validity of the EFQM questionnaire; with the view to provide a reliable and valid instrument that its use will provide information and feedback regarding quality to Secondary Vocational Education.

Methodology:
To test the research hypotheses, a survey was carried out on 135 Greek secondary education teachers teaching in vocational lyceums, senior high schools, in Greece. Cronbach’ alpha was used to test the instrument reliability.
The data of the survey were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (ΚΜΟ), Bartlett's Test of Sphericity eigenvalue, and Scree Plot criteria were employed to determine the Principal Components reaffirming the instrument’s validity. Communalities and loadings contribute to the construction of Principal Components.
Their attitudes with regard to EFQM Excellence Model criteria were measured utilizing five 5-point Likert scale questions, while Overall Perceived Quality is measured by one 5-point Likert scale question.

Findings:
The results of the study demonstrate that all five dimensions/ criteria of customers’ EFQM Excellence Model, namely Leadership, Strategy, Partnership and Resources, People and Process constitute a reliable and valid instrument. Criteria Leadership, Strategy, Partnership and Resources and Process amount to “Enables”. In addition, dimensions relating to Enables have a direct effect on Overall Perceived Quality.
Research Limitations/Implication: The paper calls for more research on how Secondary Education perceived Quality in Education base on EFQM Principals.

Originality/value:
The paper expands existing literature, focusing on the reliability and validity of the EFQM Excellence Model while using a multi-dimensional construct to measure the perceptions of Vocational Lyceum teachers.

Keywords:

EFQM, Model, Reliability, Validity, Quality, Vocational, Lyceum, Greece.