Difficulties of parents with low educational attainment in assisting their children in modular distance learning during pandemic

Abstract

A significant role was played by the parents of the students, who had to become homeschoolers within a few days without prior training upon the suspension of face-to-face education. This study investigated the difficulties of Filipino parents (n = 90) with low educational attainment in assisting their children in modular distance learning. In-depth analysis and survey were employed as research instruments to extract responses on the difficulties of parents with low educational attainment and how government should aid them during a global crisis. The study was conducted in Zamboanga City, Philippines from July 2022 to December 2022. Parents struggled to explain, elaborate, and understand the lessons in the self-learning modules. Simulated teacher roles were another difficulty where parents were clueless on facilitating homeschooling and addressing learners’ needs. Gender roles difficulties were prominent where women assume that homeschooling responsibilities added to their roles in child and home care. Most of the families belong to low-income households and experienced economic difficulties on added expenses incurred in assisting their children in implementing modular distance learning. Results dictated that the government could support the parents by equipping them to be effective collaborative partners in the new modality through developing skillset on learner’s management, strategies on administering learning modules, remote instructional support to bridge the gap in learning and intensify programs venturing in livelihood and entrepreneurial opportunities. This study is vital to map out the difficulties of parents with low educational attainment in modular distance learning. It initiates responses by providing them concrete homeschooling manuals, module guides, training, and programs, establishing effective partners in the collaborative process of continuous learning at home.