INTRODUCTION

Education is one of the basic human rights that every human should have for their lives. Education is a
fundamental human right that helps both men and women out of poverty, levels inequality and promotes
sustainable development. However, according to UNESCO (2023), 244 million children and youth are still
incapable of going to school due to social, economic, and cultural reasons. One of the factors that affect the
education of children is economic concerns. As stated by Leah Rodriguez (2020), families who live in poverty
often choose between sending their children to school and prioritizing necessities. As a response, especially for
college student, they tend to find a job just to provide their educational needs for themselves. In the Philippines,
many students have to work part-time jobs to support themselves and their families while studying. This is
particularly true for students from low-income families. Despite the importance of education, financial
pressures often force students to prioritize work over their studies. This can have a negative impact on their
academic performance and overall well-being.
This study aims to examine the socioeconomic barriers faced by working students in the Philippines
and explore potential solutions to help them balance their education and employment. Our objective is to
enhance understanding of the relationship between education and employment in the country and to develop
strategies to support the success of working students.
Working students constitute a significant and growing demographic in higher education, with over
50% of college students in the Philippines concurrently employed. This study examines the socioeconomic
barriers faced by working students in order to provide a better understanding of their challenges and to identify
strategies for supporting their success. According to Bacani and Cabrera (2021) working students in the
Philippines face a number of challenges, including financial constraints, limited time and resources, and
discrimination. They also found that these challenges can have a significant impact on the educational and
career outcomes of working students.
Working students in the Philippines encounter a multitude of formidable socio-economic challenges on
their path to success. These challenges are financial constraints, limited time, resources, and discrimination.
Financial constraints often force working students into extended hours at their jobs to support themselves,
leaving them with scant time and financial means to dedicate to their studies. This not only places a
considerable burden on their academic progress but also compromises their overall well-being.
To further explain, the researchers observed that it is important to uncover the struggles that every
working student is facing. As reported by Jiezzel Galleto (2022) that is based on the statistics of the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), approximately 216,000 students are balancing school and work,
which is about 8% of the total number of college students.
With that, the researchers decided to conduct this study in order to understand the barriers, especially the
socioeconomic factors that might affect working students. The researchers believe that this study might
contribute to society as it will help the readers understand the struggles of every working student.
The researchers opted to conduct this study on Batangas State University – The National Engineering
University - Alangilan Campus in the First Semester of the Academic Year 2023-2024. The researchers chose
this location considering that the possible number of participants might be satisfied in this institution since the
university is populated.
To further expound the topic and the variables of the study, the researchers will conduct an interview
that deals with the questions under the topic. In this interview, direct answers will be given to the researchers in
answering the queries about the socioeconomic struggles of working students.
This research aims to identify the socioeconomic challenges that working students try to overcome. This
study may enlighten the readers about being a working student and fully understand their barriers.
References:

 Philippine Statistics Authority (2020). Labor Force Survey: Results for the Fourth Quarter 2020.
https://www.psai.ph/
 International Labour Organization (2020). COVID-19 and World of Work (9th ed.).
https://www.ilo.org/
 Bacani, M. D., & Cabrera, K. F. (2021). The Challenges and Coping Mechanisms of Working Students
in a Philippine University Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of International Social Research,
14(5), 115-136. https://www.iajiss.org/
 https://www.unesco.org/en/right-education/need-know
 https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/poverty-education-satistics-facts/
 https://mariahealth.ph/resources/articles/best-healthcare-provider-for-working-students/#:~:text=The
%20amount%20of%20working%20students,currently%20juggling%20school%20and%20work