Effects of Parents Working Abroad on the Academic Performance of their Children in Public Elementary School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Globalization opens lots of opportunities for our society. One of these is opportunities abroad which encourage parents, resulting in leaving their children for the sake of wealthy living.

Though it greatly affects the financial state of the family, other important matters are being sacrificed like the academic performance of their children.

This motivates the researchers to conduct the research entitled " Effects of Parents Working Abroad on the Academic Performance of their Children in Public Elementary School" to find out the impact of distance from their parents to the academic performance of their children.

METHODS

The researchers used a descriptive -quantitative questionnaire. A standardized questionnaire was given to 53 respondents. Specifically, children ages 6-12 years old whose parents are working abroad in Pulo ni Sara Elementary School.

RESULTS

Based on the results of the research conducted, Ages 6-8 years with 31 respondents showed that parents working abroad have a negative impact on their academic performance;9-12 years of age having 22 respondents have a positive and negative impact with the total of 53 respondents.40% of the respondents agreed that studying away from their parents "̃guidance promotes independent learning and somehow enhances their meta-cognition skills. They are able to discover techniques on how they can excel in the academe without parental help.

While 60% of the respondents agreed that distance from their parents has a negative impact on their academic performance. (40% abuse the independence given to them, leading to drop outs, early pregnancy, and unreasonable absences.

While 20% of the respondents became too careless of their academic performance, which leads to academic-misbehavior' issues like cheating, fraud of documents, etc.)

DISCUSSIONS

The findings of this research conclude that there is a positive and negative impact on the academic performance of children whose parents are working abroad.

It can be concluded that during the foundation stage, it is better to have parental guidance so students can excel in the academy and complete the " readiness stage" -whether it is intellectual, social, emotional and psychological.

Furthermore, for ages 9-12, (wherein the students are on their puberty stage and experiencing an identity crisis, psychological and physiological changes), the distance away from their parents has a positive and negative impact. Thus,the effect lies on the " choices of the students" -whether they want to excel or not.