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2022, Vol. 6, No. 3, 9520 – 9529
Rivika C. Alda
Faculty, College of Teacher Education
Cebu Normal University, Cebu City Philippines
Abstract
Understanding the lived world of an individual based on their unique viewpoint provides a
better perspective of the human realities. Thus, this study explored the lived experiences of student-
scholars under the Expanded Students Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) in
selected state universities and colleges (SUCs) in regions 7 and 8 in the Philippines. Considering the
nature of the scholarship and the nuances that comes with it, this study aimed at contributing to the
increased awareness, understanding, and sensitivity to these student-scholars. In this research, a
phenomenological investigation was used to understand the universal essence of their experience. It
employed Husserl’s descriptive phenomenology to capture and describe their social and academic
experiences. In-depth interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Colaizzi process for
phenomenological data analysis. Through meaning condensation and data saturation, these themes
emerged: self-regard, perceived stigma from labelling and stereotyping; and self-motivation. The
impact and complexity of the experience of stigma affect one’s self-regard and motivation in school
and in life. It is recommended that SUCs put premium to providing comprehensive, responsive, and
proactive guidance and counselling programs designed to meet the needs of their students.
government through CHED in partnership with Transitions, academic and social stressors,
the Department of Social Welfare and language barriers, discrimination, and
Development (DSWD) and Department of prejudicial treatment are among those
Labor and Employment (DOLE). The is to experienced by a student who come from a
provide opportunity for the deserving Filipino different “background” (Selvitopu, 2020). The
students from the poorest-of-the-poor study of Gilmore & Harris (2008) defined the
households to be a bachelor degree holder. This stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination
scholarship provides for the students’ based on socioeconomic status (SES) as
educational expenses including living Classism. Negative impact of stereotypes has
allowance if they are willing to take on a also been noted in one’ self-assessment, sense
CHED-priority course. It was first implemented of competence, and even on career choices
in 2013 with 4, 041 beneficiaries from (Schuster and Martiny, 2017; Marsh & Scalas,
identified and classified poor households 2011). Further, this may create a toxic
covered by the DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang environment that affect the students’ beliefs
Pilipino Program (4Ps). The program was then and attitude in school and eventually their
later called Expanded SGP-PA (ESGP-PA) school performance. These vestiges of
since it has funded 36,412 beneficiaries discrimination and stereotyping in schools
bringing the total number of beneficiaries to among those who belong from low-income
40,453 with 112 participating SUCs in 2014 class may result to more serious problems when
(Silfverberg & Orbeta Jr., 2017). it comes to these students’ mental health.
Furthermore, studies have also documented
The Commission on Higher Education negative consequences of discrimination by
stipulates that only the identified top-tier SUCs peers and teachers like lower academic
are qualified to be participating institutions of motivation and poor self-esteem (Banerjee,
the ESGP-PA. This provides students et.al., 2018; Byrd, 2015; Wang and Huguley,
opportunity to be in schools that offer high- 2012). Similarly, the study of Jury et.al., (2017)
caliber learning experiences for free. It revealed the psychological barriers which
becomes an answer to the problem of many includes emotional experiences, identity
students who forego going to college because management, self-perception, and motivation
of its cost; and, those who gave up enrolling in encountered by students from low economic
top performing schools because of high status in university contexts.
admission standards. Considering the nature of
the scholarship, these scholars do not go Considering the unique nature of admission to
through the usual process of admission in the SUCs among these scholars, they may also
identified SUCs. However, this opportunity is experience a sense of identity management
of no secret to the non-scholars whom ESGP- crisis. It is considered as one of the toughest
PA scholars call “regular students” in the challenges students from low SES experience
institutions where they enrolled. How these when in college (Jury et.al., 2017). It is a feeling
scholars are identified and how they were of disjointedness in the new environment they
admitted make them “popular” among other are in. When they got accepted in the chosen
students. SUC, they are also expected to meet the
academic standards of the school. These ESGP-
Likewise, transitioning from high school to PA scholars may find it difficult to meet all
college can be difficult for most students. These these expectations with the added “deficit-
scholars, just like the rest of the students, have based assumptions” students and teachers have
also encountered academic and social about their background. It is akin to migrating
challenges in school. But what make their to another country wherein they also experience
experiences tougher in many ways is that these cross-cultural transition difficulties. The study
academic, financial, and social challenges that of Ertl, et.al. (2017) described a person’s
they face are twice more compared to other academic self-assessment as “academic self-
students because of the preconceived notions concept” which is developed from their
and perceptions about them. Stereotypes are experiences and interpretations of their own
prejudices and preconceived notions about an environment. It is also influenced by one’s own
overgeneralized attributes associated with the attributions and other people’s regard toward
members of a social group (Hinton, 2017). them. This can involve comparison of one’s
achievement to that of their peers. In this case, validity of data collection and analysis, and to
“socially related stressors, such as a sense of maintain the objectivity of the phenomenon, the
conflict, cultural loneliness, and isolation, are researcher’s assumptions, personal biases, and
main disadvantages in the process for presuppositions were declared and recorded
adaptation and change” (Selvitopu, 2020, p. from pre to post data collection. In-depth
591). Aside from these, academic-related interview was done virtually for region 8
stressors can also add up and may take a toll on participants and face-to-face for region 7
students’ mental health. participants. The interviews were recorded,
transcribed, and analyzed using Colaizzi
Higher education institutions are considered process for phenomenological data analysis.
significant incubators of future leaders and Direct quotes from the respondents were used
innovators in the country. However, other than to illustrate the categories and connections.
the skills and competencies that they ensure Through meaning condensation and data
students to acquire, they also have the saturation, patterns/themes emerged as bases
responsibility to inculcate human values. Thus, for awareness and in-depth understanding of
these institutions should also teach students the experiences of these ESGP-PA scholars.
how to coexist with people in multicultural
environments highlighting reflexivity and 3.2 Research Participants and Sampling
sensitivity to others. Although these scholars A phenomenological framework requires a
were part of the minority group, the researcher relatively homogenous group of participants
believed that they have worthwhile stories of (Creswell, 2013). Purposeful sampling is used
successes and struggles to tell and teach to in this study since this strategy involves the
everyone. Hence, this study seeks to explore the researcher selecting the participants according
lived experiences of the scholars under the to certain criteria. The participants (scholars)
ESGP-PA in selected SUCs. With this, must be an ESGP-PA grantee; have graduated
administrators, teachers, and students will gain successful; and were from SUCs in regions 7
an understanding of the world as lived by these and 8. To adhere to data saturation principles,
scholars and thus contribute to the increased the researcher added one more participant from
awareness and sensitivity toward them. SUCs the twelve making it a total of thirteen to ensure
may also strengthen their student support that no new information is generated during the
systems and remain proactive in dealing with analysis. Hence, a researcher looks at this as the
students’ challenges. point at which no more data need to be
collected.
2. Domain of Inquiry
Moreover, the researcher also acknowledges
The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry the limitations of the study that results are
is to explore the lived experiences of the generated mainly from qualitative method.
scholars under ESGP-PA in selected SUCs in Since it was also difficult to trace where these
regions 7 and 8. Specifically, it asks the scholars are at present, the research
following questions: What is the lived environment is also limited to the regions
experience of these ESGP-PA scholars? What accessible by the researcher.
does this mean to them? Where does it come
from? How is it experienced? 3.3 Research Instrument
The researcher is the main data collection
3. Research Methodology instrument in this phenomenological research.
As the initiator of the interview, the researcher
3.1 Research Design played an active role in making certain
In this research, a phenomenological decisions about the progress of the interview.
investigation was used to explore the lived Moreover, interview guide is used in the series
experience of thirteen (13) ESGP-PA scholars of semi-structured face-to-face and virtual
who have successfully graduated in the selected interviews with the participants. With the
SUCs in regions 7 and 8 in the country. To interview guide, the researcher facilitated the
understand the universal essence of the participants’ recounting of experiences.
experience, this study employed Husserl’s
descriptive phenomenology. To ensure the 3.4 Data-gathering Procedure
regard (b) perceived stigma from labelling and the college/university primarily because of their
stereotyping, and (c) self-motivation. These qualifications. They say, (as translated)
themes and subthemes presented in Table 1
reflect their realities for four/five years in the I seem to feel lost. I know the students
university as ESGP-PA scholars. there are intelligent and I am not. P70410
I feel so low. I think we cannot compete
Table 1 with them. We really have different
Data Themes and Subthemes performance compared to them. P70401
Main Themes Subthemes I feel that my grade is not for the
Self-regard • Low self-esteem university. I am ashamed of other students
• Perception towards because of this. P70403
self and the We know that we are different from the
scholarship rest. Our grade is not for this school. P70406
• Self-blame I only have low I.Q. I guess. I cannot
• Easily get keep up. P70408
discouraged
Perceived stigma • Regarded as very These students feel that they are inferior and
from labelling and poor (patay- that they are not fitted to be in their university.
stereotyping gutom), and They have negative perception towards their
academically own self and towards the scholarship. They also
deficient blame themselves for feeling such emotions.
• Disappointing
things are If they hear the name of our
associated with scholarship, it seems that they already know
ESGP-PA scholars that we do not belong. Maybe it is also our fault.
P70413
• Experienced
Sometimes I don’t tell my classmates
humiliation and
that I am an ESGP-PA scholar because I am
discrimination
ashamed. So I realized now that it is also my
• Feeling hurt and
fault because I feel ashamed that I am part of
low
the scholarship although it helped my family
Self-motivation • Having an ambition and me. P70410
in life
• Challenged to be These students feel that there is a negative
better connotation associated with the name of their
• Drive to study scholarship. They have also experienced being
• Motivation to compared with the “regular students”.
succeed
We were together with the regular
Theme 1. Self-regard students and during groupings they do not want
The first theme describes how the participants to be grouped with us. I felt that I don’t have
see and feel about themselves in relation to their confidence anymore. P70408
experiences. Self-regard is also referred to as I have a teacher who compares us with
self-concept which is defined as one’s belief of the regular students. And I really felt ashamed
himself or herself and awareness of his/her about it but what can I do. P70404
attributes (Baumeister, 1999). This theme came
from the subthemes of low self-esteem, They describe the non-ESGP-PA scholars as
perception towards self and the scholarship, regular students and address them as such. The
self-blame, easily get discouraged. term “irregular student” in most universities is
only used for students who have advanced
The significant statements revealed how the subjects or back subjects, or if they are
participants feel about themselves and the “shiftees”. However, these ESGP-PA scholars
people around them. It can be deduced from do not fit to be called as irregular students. How
their statements that they have low self-esteem, they compare themselves with the rest of the
and they believe that they are not meant to be in university students are based solely on their
own interpretation of how other students and stigma is also linked to mental health well-
teachers treat them and how they see being (Takeuchi et.al 2018).
themselves as part of the university.
For four to five years staying in their university,
Psychologists would point out that humans are these scholars have been referred to as ESGP-
acutely responsive to people’s comments and PA scholar. Most of them think that there is a
feelings about them. Whether negative or negative tone to this name based on how it
positive reactions from others, it can affect how made them feel while staying in these
one sees and feels about himself/herself. universities. They say, (as translated)
According to Richman & Leary (2009),
positive reactions foster psychological and There was a time when me and my
well-being, while long-term exposure to friends passed by a group of students. When
negative comments can cause psychological they knew that we are ESGP-PA scholars, they
and physical problems later on. Jury et.al. looked at us from head to toe. We felt really low
(2017) in their study revealed that low-SES that time. P70409
students in higher education received negative We have friends from regular students
views from other students. Moreover, most who told us about other students in the campus
students as revealed in other studies suffer from who say that ESGP-PA scholars are dumb.
negative stereotypes regarding their They generalized it. P70402
competence (Jury, et.al. 2017 & Hinz, 2016). In One of my classmates asked me if it is
short, people get so much affected by what true that I did not take the admission test in the
other people say about them that in return can university. She said it was unfair. I really cried
affect their emotional, social, and even physical after that. They also look at us as very poor.
well-being. According to Carl Rogers (1959) P70405
the people surrounding a person play an
important role in molding one’s feeling of self- These participants believed that teachers and
worth. students in their university associate ESGP-PA
scholar to words like dumb and poor.
Theme 2. Perceived stigma from labelling
and stereotyping I have encountered a teacher who
Based on the experiences as shared by these really discriminated us. He said that our group
scholars, the negative regard they have for do not understand fast the lesson. I really
themselves is attributed to the perceived stigma wanted to stop that time. I have co-scholars
from labelling and stereotyping. This is the who stopped. P70409
second theme generated from the subthemes During our research class, one group
on: regarded as very poor and academically even made a research paper about why ESGP-
deficient, disappointing things are associated PA scholars perform low in class. We were
with ESGP-PA scholars, experienced confused why they were able to say that. We
humiliation and discrimination, feeling hurt and were really ashamed. P70407
low. Stigma refers to a negative response or These scholars have heard that people in the
disapproval to people who have “different” university talk about them being slow in class.
characteristics as compared to the “normal” They have felt how some students look down
group of people. Oftentimes, they are given on them. They were hurt by the words that come
labels and along with these are the stereotypes. out from a teacher’s mouth about their status in
Giving “labels” which is often negative is based class. Worst, they have felt that they do not
on the notion that those who do not belong to belong in the university. Previous research has
the “normal” or “conventional” group based on shown that stereotyping and prejudices can
certain attributes is an outsider (Breen, 2011). cause discrimination that can negatively
A stereotype is an overgeneralized belief about influence the classroom environment, the
an individual or group of people. The results of students' academic performance, the students'
the study of Turosak, et.al. (2019) showed that academic achievement, and the students' self-
low SES students who experienced stereotypes concept (Hinton, 2017; Schneider et al., 2012).
have greater test anxiety and performed worse
on their academic performance. Consequently, According to Fiske (2010), stereotyping is an
individual’s own thoughts, beliefs, and
expectations onto other individual or group Moreover, the participants also mentioned that
without even obtaining factual information despite the difficulties they have encountered,
about the individual(s). Most of these people they still have few teachers who helped them
who become victims of stereotypes and both financially and emotionally. They say, (as
prejudices succumb to depression. Others also translated)
give in to these stereotypes often believing and
accepting that what people think about them are I have a teacher who always give me
true (Rivers, et al., 2009). Kemick (2010) also feedback of my performance. It made me strive
cited other studies show victims of stereotypes more. One time, I was absent for how many
perform poorly in varied situations. The days because I don’t have allowance, we even
struggles that these students, the ESPPA have nothing to eat at home. My teacher called
scholars, are facing in trying to free themselves me when I came back to school. She gave me
from negative stereotypes are no joke. One advice and gave me money. P70405
scholar said, I had a teacher who always lends me
I feel so ashamed. I even told myself money. So, I told myself that I have to study
that maybe what they are saying about me is more because these people are helping me. I
true. there was a time that I feel like I don’t told myself that I will not waste their help.
want to go to school anymore. But I realized I P70412
can choose between believing what they are
saying or trying my best to prove them wrong. For all those years, these students have been
P70405 trying to survive and surpass all the negative
feelings and emotions that all these labeling,
Theme 3. Self-motivation stereotyping and discrimination they believe
Even with the negative experiences these they experienced have brought upon them
scholars encountered, they pushed forward while in their university. It still gets them teary-
because they have goals to fulfill. The third eyed whenever they remember these
theme is on self-motivation. It is referred to as experiences. At the same time, it also makes
an individual’s drive to accomplish something. them smile how they were able to survive and
This theme is generated from the subthemes: how other students and teachers in the
having an ambition in life, challenged to be university have also helped them.
better, drive to study, motivation to succeed.
Likewise, experts say that self-motivation is a
One’s strong desire to accomplish something very important factor in a person's life because
gives one a push to keep going despite the this will help him or her see things in a positive
hurdles in life. The things, persons, even way. This will also enable him or her to
situations in life may be considered as a overcome challenges by developing an attitude
“motivation” although this varies from person that could withstand trials and failures.
to person. For most students like these ESGP- Teachers’ actions are also seen as a
PA scholars, they are motivated to study hard contributory factor in both students’ motivation
and finish school primarily because they and demotivation. It is important that teachers
wanted to improve their status in life. provide support to these students. Pintrich,
I never expected to be able to go to et.al. (1993) in Steinmayr (2019) added that
college. After I graduated in high school, I students’ motivation is relatively situation or
immediately work and I already accepted that I context specific. Morever, Carr et.al. (2019)
will just work my entire life. But deep inside I claimed that an individual’s motivation and
really wanted to go college. P70411 self-belief to learn and succeed is influential in
I really do not want to quit school. I the transition into higher education. Taken
wanted to be a bachelor’s degree holder together, these ESGP-PA scholars would prefer
because I envy those who graduated in college. not to have known the stigma they have
I saw my teacher before and I really liked his experienced. Like any other scholarships in the
shoes. I told myself that someday I will have the university as well, ESGP-PA’s goal is to help
same shoes. When I heard about the these scholars achieve their goals in life and
scholarship, I really grabbed the opportunity. eventually improve their way of life. Thus, the
P70401 ESGP-PA scholars believe that they should be
treated fairly like the rest of the students in the The researcher would like to thank the research
university. respondents for being generous with their
experiences and their time.
Without support, these psychological barriers
caused by the perceived stigma from labelling
and stereotyping may cause further problems References
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