White Paper No. 2 | Managing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on College Retention: The PHINMA Education Experience
ABSTRACT | The COVID-19 pandemic affected all Filipinos, especially those in lower-income classes who suffered reduced household incomes. This also threatened learners’ capacity to continue education and there was a risk of increased school dropouts during the pandemic. This paper studied the impact of the pandemic on learners. It looked into not just the financial situation of families, but also the learners’ psychological well-being. This paper also looked into the interventions of PHINMA Education and how it contributed to their student retention.
PHINMA Education conducted two surveys among its college students ages 19 - 23 years old from different socio-economic classes nationwide. The survey confirmed that while everyone was affected by the pandemic, those from lower-income households were more gravely affected. Compared to high-income households, they had difficulty adjusting to the sudden loss of income.
The survey also found that the psychological well-being of the students were tied to their household’s financial situation. The impact of the pandemic varies per socio-economic class. Those in lower-income classes were concerned if they had enough to cover the cost of enrollment and adjust to distance learning (i.e., reliable internet connection). The survey showed that those experiencing loneliness, anxiety, and stress increased from class AB to class E.
To improve student retention, PHINMA Education initiated several programs to address the twin issues of financial constraints and mental health. They offered scholarships, remodeled their learning modalities, and provided gadgets and learning materials to their students. They also nurtured a supportive community among students and teachers, and offered free counseling sessions. These helped learners process their stress and anxiety, and contributed to improving their mental health. These efforts contributed to a student retention rate of over 90% among all PHINMA Education schools.