Philippine E-Journals

Reframing the Narrative of Collegiate Children of OFWs: An Exploration of their Joys, Challenges, and Dreams

Elias Mulenga Sampa

Discipline: Education, Psychology

 

Abstract:

The study explored the experiences of selected college students with OFW parents. As a whole, it employed an in-depth analysis of the phenomenon in multi-site settings, of selected universities/colleges as “bounded systems” in their natural context. Eighty-five (85) students participated, purposively selected from five higher education institutions in NCR and Region III: Trinity University of Asia, Arellano University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, University of the Assumption, and Wesleyan University-Philippines. Data were collected through seminar-workshops incorporating FGDs, supplemented by interviews, and documents analysis. The joys were largely characterized by ‘quantitative’ support that made accessibility to quality education a reality. The challenges included a general decline in ‘qualitative’ family and childhood experiences for students. The study concluded that students suffered a lot of psycho-social stress from the phenomenon with potential serious psychosocial and cultural ramifications. There is an erosion and loss of traditional family values considering that majority of the parents involved was generally middle class. They are people with options, driven more by adventure and dream to further their social mobility than pervasive poverty and unemployment in the country. There is a need to address the destabilization of normal family life and values. Rethinking education cost may as well play a very significant role in addressing this concern.