“The Path to Excellence: Experiences of School Administrators on External Preparation Accreditation on Davao Cityâ€

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of the accreditation chairpersons in external accreditation preparation. The data were obtained from the nine chairpersons who had served as an accreditation chairperson. A purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of the participants of the study. The data were obtained using in-depth interviews. Emerging themes highlights the reviewing tools and requirements, Vice-President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) accreditation supervision, and time allocation for evidence compilation. In addition, there were five core ideas have emerged: checking the tools and requirements, management of the VPAA, previous accreditation experiences, availability of pieces of evidence, and time preparation. Moreover, the coping mechanism applied by the chairpersons focuses on integrated collaboration and accomplishment reports with two core ideas conducting meetings and open communication have emerged. Further, insights and strategies employed by the chairpersons were consolidations of documents and collective conviction. It has four core ideas, document compilation, being true to all documents, teamwork, and commitment. This research enriches the school administrators from higher education institutions (HEIs) by providing a holistic perspective on experiences, coping mechanisms, and insights and strategies employed by the chairpersons on external accreditation preparation. These findings highlight the importance of meticulous document management, collaborative efforts, and steadfast dedication in successfully preparing for external accreditation in educational institutions. Moreover, the findings underscore the significance of comprehensive planning and teamwork in successful accreditation preparation. Therefore, it is recommended that educational institutions can optimize their preparedness for external accreditation and enhance the quality of accreditation submissions. Administrators should develop comprehensive guidelines for reviewing tools and requirements, ensuring stakeholder understanding and minimizing errors.