Enhancing Quality in Childcare Centres through eQIAS: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Malaysian ECCE Settings

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the electronic-Quality Improvement and Accreditation System (eQIAS) in enhancing the quality management practices of Early Childhood Care and Education Centres (ECCE) in Malaysia. Inspired by the QIAS model from Australia, eQIAS has been adapted to suit the Malaysian context, encompassing seven key quality dimensions. A quasiexperimental design using pre-test and post-test assessments was applied to 44 participants. Statistical analysis revealed consistent improvements across most quality dimensions following the implementation of eQIAS. Significant improvements were observed in Staff-child and interpersonal relationships, with mean scores increasing from 3.52 to 3.77 (p = 0.001), Children’s learning and experiences from 3.51 to 3.70 (p = 0.005), and Health, nutrition, and well-being from 3.60 to 3.77 (p = 0.022). Marginal improvements were seen in Family partnerships (3.43 to 3.58, p = 0.056) and Programming and evaluation (3.55 to 3.67, p = 0.072). Although Safety and protection (3.70 to 3.77, p = 0.272) and Management that supports quality (3.38 to 3.53, p = 0.103) showed slight increases, these were not statistically significant. These findings affirmed the potential of eQIAS as a practical and effective tool for monitoring, assessment, and quality enhancement in early childhood centres. The integration of eQIAS contributes not only to raising the standard of care and education but also supports the national agenda in institutionalizing continuous quality improvement and accreditation across ECCE settings in Malaysia.