Transformational Leadership and Madrasah Effectiveness: The Mediating Role of Teacher Organizational Commitment

Abstract

Leadership is a critical factor in determining the effectiveness of educational institutions, particularly in madrasahs that face increasing demands to improve organizational and educational performance. This study aims to examine the effect of Transformational Leadership on Madrasah Effectiveness and to investigate the mediating role of Teacher Organizational Commitment. The study employed a quantitative explanatory design involving 78 teachers from madrasahs. Data were collected through a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that Transformational Leadership has a positive and significant effect on Teacher Organizational Commitment (β = 0.311; t = 2.850; p = 0.006). Transformational Leadership also has a very strong and significant direct effect on Madrasah Effectiveness (β = 0.941; t = 22.706; p < 0.001), with the structural model explaining approximately 88.4% of the variance in Madrasah Effectiveness. However, Teacher Organizational Commitment does not have a significant effect on Madrasah Effectiveness (β = −0.003; t = −0.064; p = 0.949), and its mediating effect is not supported. These findings indicate that the contribution of transformational leadership to madrasah effectiveness occurs predominantly through a direct pathway rather than through teacher organizational commitment. The study contributes to Islamic educational management by emphasizing transformational leadership as a strategic factor in strengthening institutional effectiveness while demonstrating that teacher commitment alone may not be sufficient to translate leadership practices into organizational outcomes