ABSTRACT
This study explored the experiences of working children who simultaneously navigate formal education and labor responsibilities. Anchored in a constructionist epistemology and guided by Symbolic Interactionism, the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, and the Expectancy-Value Theory, the research investigated how working children interpret their realities, manage dual burdens, and sustain future aspirations. Conducted at Ardemil Elementary School, a rural, mountainous, corn-farming community in Sara, Iloilo, Philippines, the study addressed the local manifestation of a broader socio-economic crisis that affects millions of Filipino children under Republic Act 9231. Using purposive sampling based on strict inclusion criteria, the researcher selected four primary child-informants: Nene Tel, Boyboy, Nonoy Noel, and Bonbon. Four elementary school teachers served as secondary informants. Data were gathered through a comprehensive triangulation design consisting of individual semi-structured in-depth interviews, a focus group discussion (FGD), non-participant observation, and field notes. To evaluate institutional impact, the study incorporated official academic documents, including attendance sheets (SF1) and report cards (SF10). The primary instrument was a researcher-developed interview protocol that underwent rigorous expert content validation and pilot testing to establish qualitative dependability and cultural appropriateness. Data analysis involved within-case and cross-case analyses to extract recurring themes regarding educational disruptions, psychosocial pressures, physical challenges, coping mechanisms, and future goals. Ultimately, this multiple-case design provided deep, contextually rich insights into the structural realities and personal persistence of working children striving for academic success.
Keywords: Children at work, experience, challenges and education
INTRODUCTION
The phenomenon of children at work remains a critical focal point in global research, as investigators seek to understand how various forms of labor intersect with children’s rights to education, protection, and holistic development. In academic and institutional literature, children at work are conceptualized along a broad continuum, ranging from benign, developmental activities to exploitative conditions that deprive them of their childhood, potential, and dignity, while actively harming their physical and mental development (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2017; United Nations Children's Fund [UNICEF], 2021). In many developing communities, including rural areas in the Philippines, children at work are often driven into the labor force by systemic pressures such as poverty, deep-seated family obligations, and limited access to resources (ILO & UNICEF, 2021). This intersection of work and development is central to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, which emphasizes promoting sustained, inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all (United Nations, 2015). To operationally measure and address this population, Target 8.7 calls for immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and eliminate the most hazardous conditions experienced by children at work, underscoring a global commitment that highlights the urgency of examining children at work as both a structural barrier to universal education and a primary challenge to long-term socio-economic development (United Nations, 2015).
In the context of significant global and local concern children at work remains that directly undermines children’s rights to education, protection, and holistic development. In academic and institutional literature, the presence of children at work becomes a critical issue when the nature of the labor deprives them of their childhood, potential, and dignity while actively interfering with their schooling (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2017; United Nations Children's Fund [UNICEF], 2021). In many developing communities, including rural areas in the Philippines, children at work are often driven into the labor force by systemic pressures such as poverty, economic necessity, and deep-seated family responsibilities (ILO & UNICEF, 2021). This intersection of work and development is central to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth emphasizes the urgency of protecting vulnerable children at work through Target 8.7, which calls for immediate and effective measures to end all exploitative and hazardous forms of labor (United Nations, 2015). This objective is deeply interconnected with SDG 4: Quality Education, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all (United Nations, 2015). The persistence of exploitative conditions among children at work directly hinders the achievement of SDG 4, as children engaged in demanding agricultural or intensive household tasks often experience physical fatigue, chronic absenteeism, limited study time, and reduced classroom participation. Consequently, these factors negatively affect their primary learning outcomes, including reading comprehension, academic performance, and overall achievement. Within the localized context of an elementary school in Sara, Iloilo Province, these accumulated challenges place working learners at a significantly higher risk of academic underachievement and school dropout, underscoring that managing the structural conditions of children at work (SDG 8.7) is a vital prerequisite to improving educational outcomes, achieving the targets of SDG 4, and ensuring all children have access to a better future.
The government of the Philippines has implemented various policies and programs designed to manage the phenomenon of children at work and improve educational outcomes, directly aligning local initiatives with the targets of SDG 8.7 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). To address the exploitative conditions that children at work often face, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) leads initiatives such as the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP), while the Philippine Program Against Child Labor coordinates nationwide efforts involving government agencies and local stakeholders to reduce and eventually eliminate hazardous labor practices (DOLE, 2020). Concurrently, poverty-reduction strategies like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program provide conditional cash transfers to low-income families, with financial support contingent upon regular school attendance, thereby minimizing the economic pressures that push children at work into full-time or exhausting labor forces (Department of Social Welfare and Development [DSWD], 2019). Complementing these socioeconomic safety nets, the Department of Education (DepEd) has strengthened access to institutionalized learning through the K to 12 curriculum, the Alternative Learning System (ALS) for out-of-school youth, school feeding initiatives, and inclusive education policies (DepEd, 2016). DepEd also enforces robust, school-based child protection measures specifically designed to safeguard learners from institutional abuse and economic exploitation (DepEd, 2012). Collectively, these state-led interventions demonstrate a multi-sectoral commitment to regulating the conditions of children at work and enhancing national educational outcomes, underscoring that achieving SDG 8.7 and SDG 4 are structurally interconnected goals essential for ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn, develop, and thrive (United Nations, 2015).
Despite the Philippine government’s structural interventions to address exploitative labor through programs such as the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP), the Philippine Program Against Child Labor, and social support frameworks like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the reality of vulnerable children at work remains a persistent challenge in many rural communities (International Labour Organization [ILO] & United Nations Children's Fund [UNICEF], 2021). Similarly, despite institutional expansions in educational access through the Department of Education’s (DepEd) K to 12 curriculum, the Alternative Learning System (ALS), and school-based child protection measures, many learners continue to experience chronic absenteeism, poor academic performance, and limited classroom participation due to conflicting work-related obligations (UNICEF, 2021; ILO, 2017). While previous studies have documented the broad prevalence of economic exploitation and its negative impact on schooling, there remains a critical gap in research specifically examining how the responsibilities of children at work continue to affect learning outcomes within the specific rural context of elementary schools in Sara, Iloilo Province, where economic pressures and family obligations are disproportionately high. This study seeks to fill this gap by investigating the relationship between the labor burdens of children at work and their educational outcomes, providing localized empirical evidence to guide interventions that align with SDG 8.7 and SDG 4 (United Nations, 2015). Understanding the lived experiences of these young learners is essential for several reasons. First, it illuminates the often-invisible struggles that affect academic performance, attendance metrics, and overall psychosocial well-being. Second, it reveals the resilience and aspirations of working children who, despite overwhelming structural challenges, continue to pursue education as a vital pathway to socio-economic mobility. Third, it provides crucial insights for educators, regional policymakers, and local community stakeholders seeking to develop targeted interventions that address both the immediate symptoms and the systemic root causes affecting children at work.
This study provides valuable insights into the persistent challenges faced by children at work and their direct impact on educational inequality, as consistently documented in global evidence (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2017; United Nations Children's Fund [UNICEF], 2021). By examining how work-related responsibilities affect learners’ attendance, engagement, and academic performance, the research highlights the precise ways in which the demands on children at work perpetuate gaps in access to quality education, a core concern emphasized under SDG 4: Quality Education (United Nations, 2015). Vulnerable children at work often face severe physical fatigue, limited study time, and an increased risk of school dropout, which not only hampers individual learning outcomes but also reinforces systemic educational disparities, particularly in rural and low-income communities (ILO & UNICEF, 2021). These dynamics allows policymakers, educators, and community stakeholders to identify targeted interventions—such as school-based support programs, conditional financial assistance, and robust child protection measures—that align with national efforts led by agencies such as the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Ultimately, the study underscores that addressing the socioeconomic vulnerabilities of children at work is not only a matter of social protection but also a critical step toward reducing educational inequality and ensuring that all children have equitable opportunities to learn, develop, and succeed.
The issue of children balancing work and schooling is not new but it remains to be examine in a broader context within the legal landscape of these children. This is to appreciate the urgency and complexity of this phenomenon and to help these children and to lessen this situation especially in the rural areas.
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