Teacher Self-Efficacy as a Mediator Between Subject Qualification Alignment and Perceived Teaching Effectiveness Among Senior High School Teachers

Teacher deployment challenges remain a concern where staffing constraints require teachers to handle subjects beyond their specialization. This study examined subject qualification alignment and the mediating role of teacher self-efficacy in relation to perceived teaching effectiveness among senior high school teachers. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (1997), the study employed a quantitative, non-experimental correlational design using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Data were collected from 200 senior high school teachers in selected public schools within the Zamboanga City Schools Division, Philippines. Subject qualification alignment was measured using a three-level index—fully aligned, partially aligned, and not aligned—while teacher self-efficacy and perceived teaching effectiveness were measured using Likert-scale instruments. Results showed that subject qualification alignment had no significant direct effect on perceived teaching effectiveness (β = 0.079, p = 0.191), but significantly predicted teacher self-efficacy (β = 0.285, p < 0.001). Teacher self-efficacy strongly predicted perceived teaching effectiveness (β = 0.867, p < 0.001), and the indirect effect was significant (β = 0.248, p < 0.001), confirming full mediation. The findings indicate that teacher self-efficacy is the key mechanism linking subject qualification alignment and perceived teaching effectiveness. The study highlights the importance of mentoring, professional development, and supportive deployment policies in strengthening teacher self-efficacy, particularly among teachers handling partially aligned or non-aligned subjects.