The main challenges facing educational institutions and their implications 

The educational institution under analysis corresponds to a group of schools in an urban context, with various levels of education, and consists of a diverse educational community, including students, teachers, operational assistants, technical teams, and parents. Like many groups, it faced simultaneous challenges in terms of learning, classroom management, internal organization, and the efficiency of support services. 

Among the main challenges identified were student demotivation, difficulties in managing class time, lack of structure in monitoring improvement initiatives, teachers’ overload with administrative and operational tasks, and weaknesses in communication with families. Until then, the response to these challenges was ensured through specific initiatives, without a structured system to guarantee alignment, continuity, and sustained impact. 

An integrated approach to generating continuous improvement 

The initiatives were designed based on the Kaizen Culture, promoting an integrated approach to continuous improvement, applied simultaneously to the classroom, learning planning, pedagogical coordination, and support processes. Instead of isolated initiatives, structured practices were implemented that enabled the development of internal skills, strengthened the involvement of the educational community, and generated sustainable results. Some of the main initiatives implemented are presented below. 

Daily KAIZEN™ in primary education: day-to-day improvement in the classroom 

Daily KAIZEN™ was introduced in primary education classes through the implementation of visual management boards with class indicators, shared objectives, and regular progress tracking. In addition, 5S workshops were conducted for classroom and backpack organization, and structured problem-solving practices were introduced. 

This approach strengthened transparency, teamwork, and student accountability, resulting in 15% improvements in student satisfaction (NPS), as well as relevant gains in critical thinking and in the positive perception of the school experience. 

Figure 1 – Examples of applying the Kaizen Culture in the classroom 

Last Planner of Competencies: engaging students in learning planning 

With the aim of strengthening student engagement and making learning clearer and more predictable, the Last Planner of Competencies was implemented. Weekly planning of topics began to be shared with students, as well as the competencies to be developed, formulated in a simple and accessible way (“I am able to…”) 

Self-assessment practices and dashboards to track competency development were also introduced, enabling students to gain a better perception of their progress and teachers to monitor learning in a more structured way. 

Figure 2 – Continuous improvement practices applied to learning 

Increasing classroom efficiency: improving use of class time 

Problems related to delays in starting classes, frequent interruptions, and poor use of available time were identified. By identifying the root causes and defining countermeasures, supported by visual charts, it was possible to create greater collective commitment and systematically monitor the evolution of indicators. 

As a result, there was a 13% increase in the effective use of class time, as well as the development of structured problem-solving skills among students, starting in the first cycle. 

Improving communication with parents: clearer, more direct, and more effective communication 

Improvements were also made to communication processes with parents, addressing challenges related to the dissemination of information and the difficulty in ensuring that messages were received clearly and in a timely manner. 

The creation of a communication box and the standardization of email communication have made it possible to better structure information, reduce recurring questions, and improve families’ perception of school communication. 

Improving cafeteria time: optimizing support processes 

Mission Control: standardizing coordination and project follow-up 

Conclusion: continuous improvement as an educational management model 

This case demonstrates that continuous improvement in educational institutions, when applied in a structured manner and involving the entire educational community, can have a real and sustained impact on learning, teaching, and school organization. More than just solving specific problems, the institution has developed internal skills and a culture that allows it to continue to improve every day, promoting operational efficiency in teaching, enhancing the quality of educational services, and creating better conditions for students, teachers, and support staff.

We are committed to respecting our clients’ confidentiality. While we have altered or omitted their names, the results are genuine.