PCC: Scaling Up Excellence in Catholic Education​

PCC: Scaling Up Excellence in Catholic Education

(Level III Accreditation Status)
by the Office of the Vice-President for Research, Development, Quality Assurance and Extension

For a school to legally operate, it should comply with the minimum requirements mandated by the government.  However, excellence demands more than compliance with prescribed basic requisites.  Being true to its mission of providing quality Catholic Education, Pasig Catholic College submitted itself to voluntary accreditation as it helps determine if an institution exceeds minimum standards.  For PCC, the pursuit of excellence is an insatiable quest.       

Pasig Catholic College started its bid for voluntary accreditation more than two decades ago.  At first, it was quite a tough undertaking as the accreditation process resulted to more work added to the existing tasks inherent to the teaching-learning process and school management.  The accreditation process introduced the school community to a series of objective assessments and feedback on the measures of effectiveness and efficiency of its programs and services.  There were a few setbacks during the process but the institution was able to overcome them – earning a Level III Accreditation for its Grade School and Junior High School Departments in 2018—the highest level for Basic Education Programs!         

After being conferred a Level II Re-Accredited Status (valid for 5 years) last 2015, both departments were invited to apply for Level III accreditation status on July 12, 2017.  Through the initiative of the late, Dr. Belen B. de Jesus, then Vice-President for Academic Affairs, in coordination with the Office of the Vice-President for Research, Development, Quality Assurance and Extension, and the two Principals, documents pertinent to the Level III accreditation of the Grade School and High School departments were submitted to the office of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) last January 20, 2018.  It was on August 4, 2018, that the Office of the President received a message stating that the Grade School and Junior High School Departments were granted Level III Accredited Status valid until December 2020 and May 2021, respectively. 

Level III is the highest accreditation accorded to Basic Education programs that have proven record of excellence as evident in the following:

    • reasonably high standard of instruction;
    • well-developed mechanism for improving and upgrading its own curriculum;
    • creditable performance of its teachers that promote effectiveness of teaching and learning;
    • high level of achievement and performance of students in both academic and co-curricular activities;
    • a highly visible community extension program describing the nature and extent of student and teacher involvement and the impact of such program to the community; and
    • a strong faculty development tradition evidenced by an appropriate budget allocation and/or systematic plan for staff development programs.

According to the Department of Education’s DO 32, s. 2006 – Revised Policies on Voluntary Accreditation for Elementary and Secondary Private Schools in Aid of Quality and Excellence for Basic Education, the following are the benefits for Level III accreditation:

    • all the benefits for Level I and II;
    • full curricular autonomy, including the authority to innovate without need for prior approval provided that the concerned DepED Regional Office is duly informed and
    • grant of full autonomy including freedom from visitation, inspection and/or supervision by DepED supervisory personnel or representatives for the duration of its Level III accredited status.

As of this writing, Pasig Catholic College is the very first and only institution in the entire Pasig Archdiocesan Schools System (PaDSS) and the Manila Ecclesiastical Province School Systems Association (MaPSA) to reach level III accreditation for its Grade School and Junior High School programs.

The collective success of the PCC community is built upon the efforts of the reputable stewards who selflessly served PCC.  “We are standing on the shoulders of giants.”  Kudos and immense gratitude to our founder Fr. Pierre Cornelis de Brouwer, CICM and the rest of the Belgian Missionaries, our former school directors, vice-directors, directresses, presidents, lay administrators, teachers, personnel, parent- and alumni-partners for their share of sacrifice in laying the strong foundation that made this momentous achievement we now relish, possible. 

Hail to Thee, our dear Pasig Catholic College!   

Noblesse Oblige!     

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