Impracticability of requiring schools to be more inclusive for pregnant and parenting students

- costly
- Risk of causing misconception of promoting teen pregnancy.
- Lack of budget, appropriate facilities and personnel for child habitation.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that teenage pregnancy affects at least 6% of Filipino
girls, the majority of which belong to low-income households. Meaning, their immediate families
are already having a hard time providing for their children’s education and only relying on free
education in public schools. Given this, most of the burden of responsibility in requiring the
inclusivity for pregnant and parenting students will fall on these public schools, which are already
struggling enough as it is.

Being inclusive is not as simple as letting them take an entrance exam, enroll, pay the fees, and
attend school. It is also about catering to most, if not all, the needs of these students while they’re
in school. Needs such as parenting courses as part of their curriculum, and facilities like daycare,
breastfeeding station, and maternity clinic where they can have access to products and services
both for their children and themselves.

For that reason, this proposal will require a huge budget allocation from the government. However,
our government does not even have the capacity or, at least, the initiative to better improve the
education system here in the Philippines.

To quote the executive director of Philippine Business for Education, Love Basillote, “We’re just
not investing enough in education in terms of per capita spending for each student.” If currently,
the government does not prioritize the education sector, such as enhancing the education
curriculum, salary upgrades for teachers, and sufficient learning materials for students. What
makes it possible to think that they will consider building additional facilities and hiring more
personnel for the sake of pregnant and parenting students?

Even the Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara Duterte admitted that the
annual budget allotted for infrastructure development is insufficient and that schools and teachers
will just have to make do with what they have.

As for the private sector, yes, they have the means to provide all of these for their institution, but
with a condition. With each money spent for its implementation, comes the tuition fee increase
that will affect not just the students involved but all the students enrolled in their school.

This will create conflict between the school and the parents, plus the risk of causing
misconceptions about the school favoring their pregnant and parenting students and, somehow,
promoting teenage pregnancy.

On the other hand, data from PSA’s Annual Poverty Indicators Survey last 2019 showed that the
reason for the high dropout rate of girls is marriage and family matters, which can also be treated
as teenage pregnancy. They would rather look for a job than continue their education, as being a
parent made them feel the sense of urgency to earn money and provide for the needs of their
children. They only see education as a distraction in fulfilling their duty as new parents, thereby,
encouraging them to leave school for the time being.

It is impractical for schools to spend excessive effort and money on inclusivity when these students
are already deciding and doing their way to cope with their situation.