Lived Experiences: From the Viewpoint (Perspectives) of a Student Exposed to Early Labor

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of secondary students engaged in early labor while attending school at Angga-an Integrated School, Damulog, Bukidnon, during the 2025–2026 school year. Early labor remains a significant concern in economically vulnerable communities, yet the perspectives of student-workers are often underrepresented in educational research. The study aimed to understand the challenges students face, the circumstances that led them to work, the strategies they use to balance employment and schooling, and the support they believe is needed. Using purposive sampling, eleven participants who were actively engaged in work while enrolled in school were selected. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews, field notes, and reflective memos, then analyzed using thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was established through member checking, peer debriefing, reflexive journaling, and an audit trail. Four major themes emerged: (1) multidimensional burdens of work, including fatigue, stress, and limited social participation; (2) labor as a response to economic necessity, shaped by poverty, family responsibilities, and school-related costs; (3) resilience in balancing work and study through time management, adaptive coping, and persistence; and (4) the need for shared systems of support from families, schools, communities, and government institutions. The study concludes that early labor is not merely an individual choice but a response to structural inequality. Sustainable interventions should reduce educational barriers, strengthen learner protection, and expand support systems that enable vulnerable students to remain in school.

early labor, working students, phenomenology

1. Albert, J. R. G., Santos, A. G. F., & Vizmanos, J. F. V. (2018). Profile and determinants of the middle-income class in the Philippines (PIDS Discussion Paper Series No. 2018-20). Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://doi.org/10.62986/dp2018.20 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Basu, K., & Tzannatos, Z. (2020). The global child labor problem: What do we know and what can we do? World Bank Research Observer, 35(2), 147–173. https://doi.org/10.1093/wber/lhg021 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Commission on Higher Education. (2021). CHED Memorandum Order No. 8, s. 2021: Guidelines on the implementation of flexible delivery of student affairs and services (SAS) programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/CMO-No.-8-s.-2021.pdf. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://collegepublishing.sagepub.com/products/qualitative-inquiry-and-research-design-4-246896?utm [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Department of Education. (2018). DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2018: Child protection policy in basic education. Department of Education. https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/DO_s2012_40.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Department of Education. (2019). DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2019: Policy guidelines on inclusive education. DepEd Philippines. https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DO_s2019_021.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Department of Education. (2020). DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2020: Guidelines on learner support services. Department of Education. https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/DO_s2020_014.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Edmonds, E. V. (2018). Why children work and the impact of child labor on schooling. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 32(3), 199–220. https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/0895330053147895 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Edmonds, E. V., & Pavcnik, N. (2019). The relationship between child labor and schooling: Evidence from developing countries. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 19(1), 199–220. https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/0895330053147895 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough? Field Methods, 18(1), 59–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X05279903 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Heady, C. (2018). What is the effect of child labor on learning achievement? Evidence from Ghana. World Development, 31(2), 385–398. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(02)00186-9 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. ILO & UNICEF. (2021). Child labour: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward. International Labour Organization and UNICEF. https://www.ilo.org/publications/major-publications/child-labour-global-estimates-2020-trends-and-road-forward [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Kallio, H., Pietilä, A. M., Johnson, M., & Kangasniemi, M. (2016). Systematic methodological review: Developing a framework for a qualitative semi‐structured interview guide. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(12), 2954–2965. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13031 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). https://www.wiley.com/enus/Qualitative+Research%3A +A+Guide+to+Design+and+Implementation%2C+5th+Edition-p-9781394266449 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. SAGE Publications. https://methods.sagepub.com/book/mono/preview/phenomenological-research-methods.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Philippine Statistics Authority. (2022). Working children situation in the Philippines. PSA. https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/children [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Putnick, D. L., & Bornstein, M. H. (2017). Measurement of child labor and its impact on child development. Child Development Perspectives, 11(4), 296–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2016.06.004 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Republic Act No. 9231. (2003). An act providing for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2003/12/19/republic-act-no-9231/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. UNESCO. (2022). Global education monitoring report 2022: Non-state actors in education. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. https://www.unesco.org/gem-report/en/2022-home [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. UNICEF. (2021). Child labour and education: A survey of children’s work and schooling in low-income countries. UNICEF. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-labour [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Impact of Foreign Direct Investment in India
• Issues Involved in Digitalisation Special Reference to Indian Tourism Growth
• Relationship Marketing and Customer Loyalty in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Industry in Nairobi County
• Financial Literacy or Financial Inclusion? Which is Which, What is What—To Achieve Uganda’s 10-Fold Economic Growth By 2040
• Harnessing Natural Gas for Economic Transformation: Overcoming the Regulatory and Infrastructural Bottlenecks in Nigeria