1 in 4 Filipino teens fall behind in school by age 18 as early setbacks take toll—study

Nearly one in four Filipino adolescents falls behind in school by age 18, according to findings from one of the country’s most extensive studies tracking child and adolescent development. 

Researchers behind the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (LCSFC) found that disadvantages experienced early in life—including poor nutrition, poverty, mental health challenges, and exposure to work—continue to shape educational outcomes and future opportunities years later.

Among the cohort studied, 30.6% were already stunted at age 10, while 15.8% had experienced work. Over the following years, school progression steadily declined, with the proportion of adolescents remaining academically on track dropping from 90% at age 10 to 82% at age 15, and further to about 75% by age 18.

Dr. Judith Borja, lead investigator of the study and former director of the University of San Carlos–Office of Population Studies Foundation (USC-OPS Foundation), said childhood experiences continue to shape opportunities and outcomes later in life.

The findings were presented at the forum “Ugnayan: The Journey of Filipino Adolescents Across Past, Present, and Future,” organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with support from the Australian government.

The LCSFC follows the same group of Filipino children from age 10 in 2016 until they reach young adulthood in 2030. The long-term study allows researchers to examine how childhood conditions influence later transitions in education, health, employment, and family formation.

Education emerged as one of the clearest indicators of how advantages and disadvantages accumulate throughout the life course.

While school enrollment remained relatively high, researchers noted that staying in school does not necessarily mean learners are progressing on time.

“Only 76% are progressing on time. Meaning, nearly one in four adolescents has fallen behind because of late school entry, missed years of schooling, or grade repetition,” said Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba, who delivered the keynote address on behalf of Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

Mental health emerged as a concern. Clinical anxiety among adolescents aged 13 to 15 reached 16.6% during the pandemic years, according to the study, underscoring the broader impact of disruptions caused by COVID-19 on learning, social development, and well-being.

The study also found that adolescent pathways differ for boys and girls.

Boys were more likely to disengage from schooling because of financial pressures and early work exposure, while girls faced vulnerabilities associated with teenage pregnancy and early unions.

Researchers also observed disparities among adolescents living in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, Indigenous communities, conflict-affected communities, and among persons with disabilities.

These findings reinforce the study’s observation that disadvantages often overlap and accumulate.

“More often, vulnerabilities intersect and accumulate over time,” said UNFPA Country Representative Neus Bernabeu.

“Poverty, disruptions in education, mental health challenges, exposure to violence, and early pregnancy or union can reinforce one another and significantly shape life outcomes, especially for young people who already face structural barriers, such as children with disabilities, indigenous youth, adolescents in geographically isolated areas, and those living in conflict-affected communities,” she added.

Researchers noted that favorable early-life conditions—including good nutrition, supportive family environments, strong cognitive development, and access to early childhood education—were associated with better educational outcomes.

Presenting the study’s policy implications, Dr. Alejandro Herrin, LCSFC consultant and visiting research fellow at the USC-OPS, said educational outcomes often reflect broader realities, including nutrition, health, family support, social protection, and economic conditions.

He emphasized the need for sustained investments throughout childhood and adolescence to prevent early disadvantages from carrying over into adulthood.

“The life course perspective highlights the imperative that success in one life stage should not be negated in the next, and that initial disadvantage at an earlier stage should be compensated at the next,” he said.

The findings also carry implications for the country’s long-term development prospects.

The adolescents being followed by the LCSFC are part of the first full K-12 generation in the Philippines and are expected to make up a significant share of the country’s future workforce.

PIDS President Dr. Philip Arnold Tuaño said the findings highlight the importance of investing in young people not only as a social responsibility but also as an economic imperative.

“The well-being of today’s adolescents will shape the productivity, health, and social cohesion of tomorrow's Philippines,” he said.

The LSCFC is UNFPA's flagship longitudinal research initiative in the Philippines, supported by the Philippine Government, the Australian Government, and UNICEF, and implemented by a consortium of demographic research institutions led by the University of San Carlos–Office of Population Studies Foundation, Inc.