THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF

ONLINE LEARNING STUDENTS IN ISMAEL MATHAY SR. HIGH SCHOOL

DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021

JENALYN B. BUGAAY
MRS. JOENA GONZALES
GRADE 11 - ABM A
ISMAEL MATHAY SR. HIGH SCHOOL
2021
 ABSTRACT

We are all aware that academic performance is critical for the successful development of

young people in society. Students who perform well in school are better prepared to enter

adulthood and achieve occupational and economic success. However, due to a pandemic known

as Covid-19 that is sweeping the globe this year, the DepEd has decided that students will study

online this school year. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of the Covid-19

pandemic on the academic performance of online learning students at Ismael Mathay Sr. During

the 2020-2021 school year, students will attend high school. In particular, why wanted to know

why the students chose to continue their studies rather than drop out due to the pandemic. Three

(3) subproblems were developed by the researcher. These are the conditions of the pandemic's

students. This study is qualitative and employs a descriptive method. The questionnaire was

created in accordance with the researcher's instructions. This study aims to include fifty or more

students who are in grade 11 during the school year 2020-2021. The findings demonstrated the

effectiveness of distance learning during this pandemic, what academic performance is and how

important it is, and what the Covid-19 pandemic is and how it affects students' academic

performance. As a result, the researcher stated that the other students will continue with the

academic year in order to develop themselves and the economy.

Keyword: Academic Performance, Distance Learning, Covid-19, Ismael Mathay Sr. High School
 INTRODUCTION

This study may be useful if you want to know how the Covid-19 pandemic affects the

academic performance of students at Ismael Mathay Sr. High School. This study clearly

examines the students' academic performance as well as their distance or blended learning.

Academic achievement or academic performance, according to Wikipedia, The Free

Encyclopedia (2021), is the extent to which a student, teacher, or institution has met their short

or long-term educational goals. Academic achievement is demonstrated by the completion of

educational benchmarks such as secondary school diplomas and bachelor's degrees. Academic

achievement is commonly measured through examinations or continuous assessments, but there

is no general agreement on how it should be evaluated or which aspects are most important—

procedural knowledge like skills or declarative knowledge like facts. Furthermore, there are

inconclusive results regarding which individual factors successfully predict academic

performance; elements such as test anxiety, environment, motivation, and emotions must be

taken into account when developing school achievement models. According to the study of Lamas

(2015), academic performance is influenced by factors such as intellectual ability, personality,

motivation, skills, interests, study habits, self-esteem, and the teacher-student relationship. Also,

based on the study of Regier (2011), academic achievement is critical for young people's

successful development in society. Students who perform well in school are better prepared to

enter adulthood and achieve occupational and economic success. This school year, however, we

are dealing with a pandemic caused by the Covid-19 virus.

 According to Brainly (2020), corona viruses are a large family of viruses that can cause

respiratory illnesses in humans ranging from common colds to more serious conditions like

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome

(MERS) (MERS). A novel corona virus is a previously unknown strain of corona virus. The

World Health Organization has designated the novel corona virus involved in the current

outbreak as SARS-CoV-2 (WHO). Corona virus disease 2019 (or COVID-19) is the name given

to the disease caused by it. Because of this disease or virus, our education for the years 2020 to

2021 has been altered; everyone requires distance learning to be safe, and everyone requires

gadgets such as mobile phones and laptop computers, which are prohibitively expensive for

some students.

According to OnlineSchools.org (Visual Academy: The History of Online Schooling

2021), while it may appear that online education began in the late 1900s, the concept of distance

learning first came into practice in the mid 19th century with the establishment of the United

States Postal Service. The concept of dependable long-distance correspondence led to the

development and implementation of what were known as commercial "correspondence colleges,"

in which instructional missives would be distributed via postal service between students and

professors. Because of the proliferation of the internet and digital technology, distance education

programs have become more sophisticated and accessible. Elite institutions around the world are

now offering open courseware, online degrees, and online classes, which are both legitimizing

and popularizing the concept of computer-based education.

Based on the article of Malipot (2020), despite growing public concern, the Department

of Education (DepEd) believes blended or distance learning “will work.” During the Presidential

Communications Operations Office's (PCOO) “Tatak ng Pagbabago 2020: The Pre-SONA

Forum,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones assured that they are more than ready for its

implementation in the upcoming school year, citing how concerned units of the agency – both in

the Central, Regional, and Schools Division Offices – are working tirelessly to ensure that amid

the COVID-1 There are numerous options for the child to continue learning.

Blended learning, according to Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (2021), is a method of

education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for online interaction

with traditional place-based classroom methods. It necessitates the physical presence of both the

teacher and the student, as well as some student control over time, place, path, or pace. While

students continue to attend "brick-and-mortar" schools with a teacher present, face-to-face

classroom practices are combined with computer-mediated content and delivery activities. In

professional development and training settings, blended learning is also used.

However, based on the article by Magsambol (2020), the coronavirus pandemic has

brought to light problems with school openings that existed prior to the health crisis. In an

unexpected move, the Department of Education (DepEd) delayed the start of classes for the

2020-2021 school year from August 24 to October 5, 2020. This is not the first time that the start

of the school year has been rescheduled this year. As the number of COVID-19 cases increased,

the usual June start date of classes was pushed back to August 24. The nearly two-month

extension, however, appeared insufficient for DepEd to transition to the revamped education

system, prompting a second postponement to October. To comply with President Rodrigo

Duterte's directive that schools postpone face-to-face classes until a coronavirus vaccine is

available, DepEd decided to switch to distance learning for the upcoming school year.

The findings demonstrated the effectiveness of distance learning in this pandemic, as well

as what academic performance is and how important it is, as well as what the Covid-19
pandemic is and how it affects students' academic performance. As a result, the researcher stated

that the other students will continue with the academic year in order to develop themselves and

the economy.

Researcher Questions

The researcher wanted to find out the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the academic

performance of online learning students in Ismael Mathay Sr. High School during the school

year 2020-2021. Specifically, the researcher wanted to find out the following:

1. What is the impact of the pandemic in your academic performance?

2. Why did you choose to continue studying rather than quit because of this pandemic?

3. Did your parents pursue you this school year to continue studying while we have a

pandemic?

Research Methodology

This research is qualitative and uses a descriptive method. The participants for this study

are the students in Ismael Mathay Sr. High School. The questionnaire was prepared according to

the procedure outlined by the researcher. The questionnaire used was unstructured. Also, it used

open-ended questions. The researcher asked permission to the participants if they agreed to be

interviewed. Afterwards, the researcher gave the questionnaires to the participants and observed

how it will be answered. When the researcher gathered the needed data, it was then studied and

carefully read to show the results and answers of the participants.

Results and Discussion

1. What is the impact of the pandemic in your academic performance?

 The participants were asked what is the impact of this pandemic in their academic

performance this year. Nine of the participants said that their academic performance is not like

what they used before because of lack of concentration. Four participants answered “sometimes

it’s bad and sometimes it’s good”, their performance is good because sometimes they understand

and it’s bad because of the slow connection they can’t understand what the teacher says. And

two said “I think it’s better than before because if I don’t understand the topic I can search it on

Google and read.

The finding showed that most of the participants are suffering from their academic

performance because of the lack of concentration to the topic and slow connection.

2. Why did you choose to continue studying rather than quit because of this pandemic?

Half of the participants said that they chose to continue studying because they don’t want

to be left behind from their fellow batch mates. Five of them said that they chose to because they

didn’t want to waste a year and opportunity and they have dreams to chase. And two participants

said that if they didn’t choose to continue studying they would get nothing to do other than

household chores at home. 

From the results, it is clear that almost all of the students don’t want to be left behind and

it was a waste of opportunity because the government has made a way for education to

continue.  
 3. Did your parents pursue you this school year to continue studying while we have a

pandemic?

They chose to continue studying as answered by the most participants. Five of their

answers are yes because their parents said that they are willing to support and provide anything

that they need in online class. 

The result showed that most of the participants of this research chose to continue studying

while we have a pandemic because they don’t want to leave behind. 

CONCLUSION

The researcher concluded that all of the participants are still students at Ismael Mathay Sr.

High School, and the majority of them are from ABM section A.

As a result of the ongoing pandemic and onerous measures such as lockdown and stay-at-

home orders, the COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on our education. Students,

educators, parents, and teachers have faced numerous challenges as a result of the Covid-19

pandemic. However, if we face difficulties in our lives, we must persevere. Also, the government

has made it possible for education to continue, so don't pass up an opportunity. We all know that

the majority of us are still adjusting to our new normal, but you are not alone. One day at a time,

we'll get through it.

REFERENCES
Lamas, Hector. (2015). School Performance. Retrieved from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1135350.pdf

Magsambol, Bonz. (2020). Rappler: Back to school during pandemic: Issues that need to be

solved before October 5. Retrieved from

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/explainers/school-opening-philippines-issues-need-

solution-before-october-5-2020

Malipot, Merlina Hernando. (2020). Manila Bulletin: Briones confident blended learning ‘will

work’ Retrieved from

https://mb.com.ph/2020/07/15/briones-confident-blended-

learning-will-work/

OnlineSchools.org contributors. (2021). Visual Academy: The History of Online Schooling.

Retrieved from https://www.onlineschools.org/visual-academy/the-history-of-online-

schooling/

Regier, Janelle. (2011). Why is Academic Success Important? Retrieved from

https://saskschoolboards.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/2011SIAST.pdf

Satyamshawarm. (2020). Brainly: What is Covid-19? Retrieved from

 https://brainly.in/question/15878028

Wikipedia contributors. (2021). Academic achievement. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Retrieved 11:16, March 30, 2021, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academic_achievement&oldid=1005082635

Wikipedia contributors. (2021). Blended learning. In Wikipedia, The Free

Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:13, March 30, 2021,from 
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blended_learning&oldid=1010310380