“Imagine a place exclusively for Filipino-Chinese girls.” That’s Immaculate Conception Academy or ICA Greenhills. This private Catholic school stands on Grant Street. It is in Greenhills West, San Juan City, Metro Manila.
ICA Greenhills is more than just a school. It is a college preparatory institution. The Missionary Sisters of Immaculate Conception run it. They are also known as MIC. ICA Greenhills has been around since 1936.
The story of Immaculate Conception Academy starts earlier. Chinese families in Binondo, Manila, wanted a Catholic school. They asked the MIC sisters to found one in 1935-1936. The first school was above a hardware store. It was in San Fernando, Binondo. ICA moved five times to accommodate more students.
In 1958, the Jesuits invited the MIC sisters to Greenhills. They were building Xavier School then. By 1960, ICA Greenhills opened. It welcomed students from ICA Intramuros. In 1975, ICA Intramuros merged with ICA Greenhills. Today, ICA Greenhills has over 3,000 students.
Originally, ICA was an Anglo-Chinese School. It taught both Chinese and English. But in 1964, it became a Filipino school. It still teaches Chinese Language Arts.
Immaculate Conception Academy strives for excellence. It underwent accreditation by PAASCU. That is the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities. ICA first received full accreditation in 1986. The school was reaccredited multiple times since then.
ICA Greenhills equips students for the world. In 2011, it started benchmarking with Singapore. Grade 6 and Grade 8 students take the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi. This has been happening yearly since 2014. Grade 10 and Grade 12 students now take the Hanyu Shuiping Kouyu Kaoshi too.
In 2019, ICA received authorization. It can now offer the Diploma Programme of the International Baccalaureate Organization. ICA is now part of a global community.
ICA Greenhills provides a great learning environment. The Felicidad Tan Sy Building was built in 1993. The Délia Tétreault Arts and Sports Center opened in 1996. Other facilities include the Learning Resource Center and the ICA Archives.
Immaculate Conception Academy collaborates with educational partners. It is a member of organizations. These include the EDSA-Ortigas Consortium and the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines. ICA also partners with international groups.
ICA Greenhills is more than bricks and mortar. It is a place of faith, learning and growth. It prepares young women for the future. It teaches them values. It gives them skills. ICA Greenhills empowers them to make a difference in the world.