In general, all educational institutions in the Philippines go through one form of accreditation – “recognized by the government.” Government recognition is, however, inadequate for purposes of identifying and determining educational quality. Thus, private voluntary accreditation provides the opportunity for an educational institution to attain standards above those prescribed as minimum requirements by the government.

The Association does not impose arbitrary standards.

The survey forms developed by PAASCU identify principles and practices which are found in excellent institutions. The statements in the survey forms are more qualitative rather than quantitative. The Association does not have specific formulas to apply or particular patterns of organization to follow. The criteria and survey instruments are merely tools to help the school measure educational quality. They are intended to serve as a guide for institutions as they strive for excellence and for accreditors as they assess institutional achievement.

The standards reflect a realistic appraisal of the school’s resources and their efficient utilization to help the institution achieve its goals.