MJ Dowson
/ Abellana National School
ABELLANA National School (ANS) has achieved a major milestone in technical-vocational education after receiving its Certificate of Accreditation from Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) 7.
The recognition marks ANS’s transition into a certified hub for National Certificate (NC) 2 assessments, further strengthening Region 7’s growing network of accredited senior high schools. The awarding ceremony, held on January 30 at the Department of Education (DepEd) 7 office in Sudlon, Lahug, underscored the importance of quality facilities in preparing senior high school (SHS) learners for the workforce.
Tesda 7 Director Gamaliel B. Vicente Jr. said Abellana’s accreditation is part of a wider initiative across Cebu and neighboring provinces, with several schools recently recognized. DepEd Regional Director Salustiano T. Jimenez highlighted the region’s 89.4 percent passing rate, the second highest nationwide, and stressed that accredited laboratories ensure students across schools are better prepared for employment.
“It’s not for us actually, it’s for these children; these laboratories are for the students,” Jimenez said.
Tesda’s accreditation drive forms part of a national effort to align SHS programs with workforce demands. Abellana’s accredited programs include electrical installation and maintenance, shielded metal arc welding, hilot, dressmaking, and computer systems servicing — giving students direct access to industry-standard tools while reinforcing Region VII’s leadership in technical-vocational education.