Thoughts of Education

The writings and various events on the life of Jose Rizal are filled of ideas concerning education. He recognized the

importance of education in the development of a nation and its people. Crisostomo Ibarra, the principal character of his

novel Noli Me Tangere possesses a desire to establish a suitable school. Ibarra mentioned in the novel what he

considered a modern school. According to him the building should be spacious and hygienic, the site should be large and

provided with playground and garden. Rizal himself dreamed of founding a school in accordance with the demands of

modern times and circumstances. According to Austin Craig, Rizal ambitioned to make education accessible to all, “the

teaching instinct that led him to act as mentor to the Filipino students in Spain and made him the inspiration of a mutual

improvement club of his young countrymen in London, suggested the foundation of a school in Paris. Later a

Pampangan youth offered him $40,000 with which to found a Filipino college in Hong Kong, where many young men

from the Philippines had obtained an education better than their own land could afford but not entirely adapted to their

needs. The scheme attracted Rizal and a prospectus for such an institution which was later found among his papers not

only proves how deeply he was interested, but reveals the fact that his idea of education were essentially like those

carried out in the present public school course of instruction in the Philippines”.

Rizal also showed his support to the group of women in Malolos when their petition of establishing a school was denied

by Gen. Weyler. He wrote a letter to the ladies in support to their courageous action. Rizal preaches the need of

education and said that “ignorance is slavery”. Rizal always reminded his sisters the value and importance of education

thus when Josefa and Trinidad visited Rizal in Hong Kong he encourage the two to learn the English language. Perhaps

Rizal’s appreciation of...