Research: Filipino Children Struggle To Study At Home Due To Distractions; Prefer Face-To-Face Classes

Many Filipino children struggled to study at home during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lack of motivation as well as social media and gaming distractions, according to research.

Based on the study by Psychosocial Support and Children’s Rights Resource Center (PSTCRRC) commissioned by Save the Children Philippines, 33% of the student-respondents do not perceive the home as a conducive environment for learning compared to their schools.

“Some felt that they were not obligated to study at home,” the study titled, “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being of Filipino Children and Adolescents in Selected Areas in Metro Manila” showed.

According to the study, children and adolescents struggled to keep up with the new learning setup, environment, pedagogy, modality, and technology changes.

Data from Save the Children also bared that “almost all” of the participants prefer face-to-face classes and want to go back to school.

“Most (67%) found it challenging to understand the learning materials in modules or online classes. Young children struggled to comprehend the content of their modules, especially those who could not read or write well yet,” it said.

The report also said that primary caregivers found it hard to guide the children as they believe the learning materials were “too advanced for them.”

“Mutual help is the top coping strategy among participants. Children tend to seek help from parents and other relatives for their modules, while adolescents are likely to seek help from their friends/classmates and teachers,” it noted.

The research cited poor internet connection as a “common frustration” among those who take online classes (34%). They also noted that many lack the funds to buy data (13%) that caused their inconsistent attendance in online classes.

Other findings

Based on the study, financial difficulties resulted in children and adolescents’ lack of access to gadgets and data load for online classes as well as food inadequacy.

The most common stressor in the family life of children and adolescents was financial difficulty due to loss of income or jobs, according to Save the Children.

“Most of the participants (82%) experienced this directly due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions,” the report concluded.

Research also noted a “high frequency” of bullying among children aged six to 12 years old, with verbal, physical, and cyberbullying incidents at 27%.

“Children are bullied for perceived physical characteristics and gender identities (such as gay, dark-skinned, fat),” it said.

Respondents— composed of 55 adolescents and 71 adult informants— were randomly sampled from selected barangays in Navotas, Malabon, and Pasay cities and purposively sampled in Quezon City.

Adult informants include parents, guardians and caregivers. They were interviewed to get the perspective of children ages six to 12 years old.

The researchers conducted in-depth mobile phone interviews to explore the children and adolescents’ various experiences in their family and household, social life, education, and physical and mental health.

Alberto Muyot, chief executive officer of Save the Children Philippines, emphasized the need for all key stakeholders in the country to work together to address the impact of the pandemic on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children.

“We are providing a venue for key stakeholders to talk about existing and possible initiatives to address these impacts in the hope that we can find ways of collaborating with each other as we continue to move forward as a country in the midst of the pandemic,” Muyot said during the virtual event on Wednesday, Oct. 27.

Representatives from various stakeholders— including the Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Psychological Association of the Philippines— were present during the event.

For Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the pandemic has taken a toll on mental health across social groups and ages, in particular, the youth, who are “subjected to pressures of keeping up with virtual learning.”

“We can empathize how different this must have been to this normal educational setup that they had been accustomed to,” Vergeire said in her speech.

Stressors include difficulty in learning materials, inability to access stable internet connection, learning new technologies, lack of motivation and distractions of social media and gaming, Vergeire cited.

“Moreover, accessibility issues also include the cost of alternative modes of learning, and thus posing financial burden to our students,” she stressed.

Vergeire highlighted that excessive engagement in social media and mobile gaming may also have incremental effects on the mental health and well-being of children.

Vergeire also bared that the DOH observed an “increasing trend” of cyberbullying.

“We know that victims of cyberbullying are at risk of self-harm and suicidal behaviors. We can protect our children by reporting abuse to social platforms, and monitoring children's online activities,” she said.

The health official encouraged teachers to work closely with parents to implement anti-cyberbullying policies in the classroom.

Actress Liza Soberano, who is an advocate for children's rights and mental health, underscored that the exposure of the children to the online world through gaming and social media made them vulnerable to unsafe and inappropriate content.

“With the COVID 19 pandemic, children all over the country are affected in more ways than we can imagine,” Soberano, who is also an ambassador for Save the Children Philippines, said.

“What struck me the most is that more children are suffering from online bullying now. Because of this risk, children experience negative feelings and emotions which in turn have negative effects on their mental health,” she emphasized.

As a public figure, Soberano said she understands what it feels like to be subjected to unpleasant situations. “I do not wish for any of this to happen to anyone, much less any Filipino child.”

The actress urged all stakeholders— the government, the civil society, the academe, the medical professions, the partners from the business and private sector— to improve the collective mental health of children all over the country.

“We can support children as they continue to learn during this pandemic and address their needs for gadgets and better internet connection. We can help their families access jobs and livelihood programs to improve their financial situation,” she said.

“We can help make the internet safer and free from bullies, trolls and predators. Together, we can do more to save the Filipino children,” she added.