Stories Behind the Paycheck: A Phenomenological Study of Teachers’ Financial Struggles Due to Loan Dependency
Keywords:
Salary loan dependency, Public school teachers, Department of Education (DepEd), Teaching professionAbstract
This study investigates the lived experiences of teachers who faced financial hardship due to dependence on salary loans. This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological design to explore, describe, and identify the lived experiences of fifteen (15) public school teachers possessing three to six active salary loans. Information was obtained through semi-structured interviews, transcribed, and participants' responses were coded and analyzed for themes. Results showed that teachers who rely on salary loans feel a heavy financial burden, especially as breadwinners. This leads to financial stress that leads them to feel emotional fatigue, anxiety, and the struggle for resilience, which influences their professionalism as teachers. The research concludes that teachers' reliance on salary loans is a manifestation of a deeper-seated systemic problem of economic inadequacy within the teaching profession. These findings emphasize the importance of policy interventions, enhanced compensation, and strengthened financial education programs to promote educators’ well-being.
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