2026 IJRSE – Volume 15 Issue 2
Available Online: 6 February 2026
Author/s:
Habab, Maritess Bellamino*
Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College, Graduate School, Tagudin Campus, Philippines (jaymielove19@gmail.com)
Sanchez, Geremy G.
Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College, Graduate School, Tagudin Campus, Philippines (geremy.sanchez@deped.gov.ph)
Abstract:
Experiences of working students have been a foci of various studies, particularly along their challenges and their respective coping mechanisms that help them survive learning. Among these studies, most are conducted in the context of higher education institutions, only a limited had explored the cases of working students in the senior high school, particularly at Teodoro Hernaez National High School, Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur. Hence, this endeavor was undertaken to understand the case of the 18 working students of the said school, particularly the influence of their employment to their academic performance, their challenges, learning opportunities, and their suggestions to better their cases as a basis in developing a responsive intervention to ensure the delivery of equitable education for all. The study employed a Case Study design of the qualitative approach to research to gather data from 12 participants selected through purposive sampling. Based on the results, found through Thematic Analysis, four themes emerged, namely: (1) Academic Strain under the Weight of Work, (2) The Heavy Burden of Balancing Work and Study, (3) Personal Growth and Academic Readiness through Work, and (4) Institutional Support for Work–Study Balance. Based on these, the study concluded that working students reveal a complex interplay between challenge and growth. While employment often imposes academic strain, fatigue, and social sacrifice, it simultaneously fosters resilience, self-discipline, and transferable life skills. Their journey suggests the need for educational institutions to adopt responsive and flexible systems that acknowledge the realities of working students—balancing compassion with high expectations.
Keywords: working students, challenges, coping mechanism, learning opportunities
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2026.26026
Cite this article:
Habab, M. B., & Sanchez, G. G. (2026). Balancing books and bread: The case of part-time working learners of Teodoro Hernaez National High School. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 15(2), 51-61. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2026.26026
* Corresponding Author