SePUM Education and Health Departments Visit Church Schools for AAA Accreditation

Why inspect and accredit our church schools? How will our learning centers operate? Who will do the accreditation process? Here’s how our education network works. Please read and share.

With the very dynamic leadership of Ma’am Perlyn Panes, Education Director of Southeastern Philippine Union Mission (SePUM), and five education supervisors from its five mission territories, conducted school accreditation visits and inspections to 14 church-operated elementary schools and assisted another team in inspecting two high schools on September 10 to October 10, as required by the Adventist Accreditation Association (AAA) of the Seventh-day Adventists supervised by the Education Department of the worldwide headquarters, the General Conference (GC).

Pr. Victor Navarro, SePUM Heath Director, and his mission counterparts collaborated on their health assessments and evaluations in our schools to congest efforts of preparation and actual visits to host schools, thus saving time and expenses. Their visit wished to assess sanitation, incorporate health lectures into the curriculum, promote adherence to healthy foods in the canteen, and address numerous other aspects.

As mandated by AAA to be exercised in uniformity worldwide, all 6,897 church-operated primary and elementary schools worldwide shall be visited and evaluated by the respective union education director and its mission education superintendents. The 2,793 Adventist academies or high schools worldwide shall be assessed by the division education department or a composite team represented by a cluster of nations. The Adventist church operates 118 colleges and universities worldwide, plus 38 workers’ training institutions, which will be under the eye and supervision of the worldwide church or General Conference education department. (Data supplied by Wikipedia as of November 2023)

The SePUM accreditation team visited San Francisco Adventist Elementary School, Inc. at Southeastern Caraga Mission (SCM), with Pr. Jesreel Mercader as education superintendent; Tagum SDA Elementary School, Inc.(Compostela); and Tagum SDA Elementary School, Inc. (Main), under the supervision of Sir Crisolito C. Cabrera, education supervisor at Northern Davao Mission (NDM).

The team visited the learning facilities of Davao City SDA Elementary School, Inc. at Bajada and the three campuses of Royal Valley SDA Elementary School, Inc. at Bangkal, Digos Cente,r and San Jose Digos. Ma’am Cheryl Hodge, Education, Media, and Communication Director of Davao Mission (DM), supervises them with devotion and a keen spirit.

They went to South Central Mindanao Mission (SCMM) under the education supervision of Sir June Clyde Murillo and visited Kidapawan SDA Elementary School Inc. in Kidapawan City, Esperanza District Adventist Academy Inc. in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, and Adventist Elementary School of Tacurong City, Inc.

The next round of ocular visits led them to Southern Mindanao Mission (SMM) under the supervision of Pr. William Galagnara. They interacted through interviews with the learners, teachers, parents, and administrators and reviewed records, documents, and photographs at General Santos SDA Elementary School, Inc.; Calumpang SDA Elementary School, Inc.; Adventist Elementary School of Banga, Inc.; and Tupi Adventist Elementary School, Inc., in South Cotabato.

A pending accreditation schedule will be set for Bayugan Adventist Learning Center, Inc. at Agusan del Sur; Marbel 7 SDA Elementary School of Koronadal City; Matutum View SDA Elementary School, Inc. at Acmonan, Tupi, South Cotabato; DolePhil SDA Elementary School, Inc. of Polomolok; and South Philippine Adventist College (Elementary Dept) at Matanao, Davao del Sur.

Amidst the busy itinerary, the evaluating team assisted the Southern Asia-Pacific Division’s 11-country composite team, led by Dr. Bienvenido G. Mergal, in conducting an intense evaluation and accreditation process for Sahmyook International Academy of Davao Mission at Arakan, North Cotabato, and Panabo SDA Learning Center of Panabo City. Other Adventist high schools within the territory will be assessed soon.

These 13 areas of performance indicators that will shape our primary and elementary schools and their stakeholders, are as follows:

• History, philosophy, mission, and objectives.
• Spiritual development, services, and witnessing.
• Governance and administration.
• Finances, financial structure, and industries.
• Program of studies.
• Faculty and staff.
• Library and resource centers.
• Academic policies and records, student and student services.
• Physical plant and facilities.
• Publications.
• Student recruitment, enrollment, and follow-up.
• External constituents involve the church, parents, community, and government.

While it’s essential to know mathematics, language arts, science, and history, children also should learn about God’s love, what Jesus Christ has done for us, and that each of us has immeasurable value and a divine purpose. The school visits need to evaluate our church schools and send findings to the commission on accreditation before the approval of the respective education council of the church.

As Ellen White, with divine leading, encouraged the establishment of schools and the propagation of the first school established by Martha Byington at Buck’s Bridge, New York, USA, in 1853, she wrote: “True education does not ignore the value of scientific knowledge or literary acquirements; but above information it values power; above power, goodness; above intellectual acquirements, character. The world does not so much need men of great intellect as of noble character. It needs men in whom ability is controlled by steadfast principle.” Education p. 225. (SePUM Communication)