Children who experience violence inside their homes show diminished interest in enrolling in school or classes, a report released by the congressional Second Educational Commission (EDCOM II) suggested.
It showed that nearly four out of 10 Filipinos aged 10 who bore physical struggles inside the household are less likely to attend school.
Adolescent students also have a 52 to 57 percent chance of showing the same, as they bear the psychological effects from these incidents.
Children of both genders are at risk of avoiding class as they cope with the circumstances related to their abuse, the report added.
EDCOM II said 48% of boys age 14 were recorded to have lost their interest in school, while 66% of girls of the same age showed the same trend.
This results in a negative trend on their scholastic performance, such as their capabilities in mathematics and science, although these findings are “not statistically important,” the panel said.
“While violence definitively disrupts school enrollment decisions, its impact on test scores might manifest more gradually,” EDCOM wrote, adding there are other mechanisms that can be used to measure students’ attentiveness.
The commission recommended that intervention programs be conducted to address this concern that goes beyond the confines of the classroom.
“The authors recommend the sustained implementation and expansion of nationwide, multi-sectoral early intervention programs designed to prevent violence and improve parenting skills,” it wrote.
EDCOM cited current programs such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) and Masayang Pamilya (MaPa) as possible channels.
The study, conducted jointly with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, aimed to examine students’ exposure to violence in relation to their academics.
The commission, made up of five senators and five congressmen and supported by an advisory council, will include these findings in its upcoming report to be released on Monday, January 26.
