Domestic violence inside the home is a major factor contributing to school dropouts among Filipino children, according to a study cited by the Second Congressional Commission on Education.
In a statement, Edcom 2 referenced a study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies that examined how early exposure to parental violence affects children’s education. The study found that children who experienced physical or emotional violence from a parent at age 10 were significantly less likely to remain enrolled in school by age 14.
The 28-page study, titled “Early Harm, Lasting Impact: The Effect of Parental Violence on Educational Outcomes Among Filipino Children,” reported that adolescents exposed to parental violence had 52 to 57 percent lower odds of attending school compared with those who were not exposed. Researchers said these early experiences of harm can disrupt emotional stability and cognitive development, which may affect school participation.
The findings showed that nearly four in 10 Filipino children experienced some form of violence from their parents at age 10. The study also found that both boys and girls face heightened risks of dropping out, although the impact appeared stronger among girls. About 48 percent of boys exposed to domestic violence were less likely to be enrolled by age 14, while the figure rose to 66 percent among girls.
According to the researchers, the results are consistent with established child development theories that link household violence to behavioral and well-being challenges that can interfere with learning and school engagement.
The study used data from the first five waves of the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child, which follows a nationally representative sample of about 5,000 children who were age 10 in 2016 and tracks them until 2030.
Neither Edcom 2 nor PIDS released updated national dropout figures in relation to the findings. However, Education Secretary Sonny Angara previously reported that student enrollment declined to about 25 million in the 2025 to 2026 school year, down from 27 million in the previous year. The researchers also examined whether exposure to violence affected academic proficiency in subjects such as mathematics, reading, and science, but said those specific relationships were not statistically significant.
