Strategic management of training processes to improve teacher quality and creativity in educational institutions

Purpose This study examines whether training management, conceptualised as a managed professional development (PD) cycle, contributes to teaching creativity indirectly through teacher quality. Rather than assuming that PD automatically generates instructional innovation, the study tests whether its effect operates primarily through strengthened teacher capability. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 615 schoolteachers in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Covariance-based SEM (AMOS) was applied using a two-step procedure (CFA → SEM). Training Management was specified as a second-order reflective construct. The Bollen–Stine bootstrap addressed non-normality, and standard common method variance diagnostics were conducted. Findings Training Management positively predicts Teacher Quality, and Teacher Quality strongly predicts Teaching Creativity. The direct path from Training Management to Teaching Creativity is not significant, whereas the indirect path through Teacher Quality is significant, indicating full mediation. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional, single-region design limits generalisability. Future studies should adopt longitudinal and cross-national designs. Practical implications Schools should evaluate PD less by participation or completion and more by whether it strengthens Teacher Quality as the immediate condition for creative teaching. This requires job-embedded follow-up, including coaching, protected PLC time, and classroom-based evidence. Social implications Structured capability building can support more equitable and creative learning environments. Originality/value The study shows that managed PD influences Teaching Creativity primarily indirectly through Teacher Quality, offering a clearer explanation of how professional development supports instructional innovation.