ABOUT RIZAL'S EDUCATION
Rizal's education was instrumental in shaping his views on Philippine society and politics. He believed that the Philippines needed to be educated and modernized in order to achieve independence from Spain. His novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo were critical of Spanish colonial rule and inspired the Philippine Revolution of 1896.
Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. It was a typical schooling that a son of an Ilustrado family received during his time, characterized by the four R’s- reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Instruction was rigid and strict. Knowledge was forced into the minds of the pupils by means of the tedious memory method aided by the teacher’s whip.
Despite the defects of the Spanish system of elementary education, Rizal was able to acquire the necessary instruction preparatory for college work in Manila. It may be said that Rizal, who was born a physical weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant not because of, but rather in spite of, the outmoded and backward system of instruction obtained in the Philippines during the last decades of Spanish regime.
Rizal's early education was informal. His mother, Teodora Alonso, taught him the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. He also learned about religion and the Filipino way of life from his parents and grandparents.
Rizal's early education laid the foundation for his later success. He was a bright and curious child who loved to learn. His parents and teachers encouraged his love of learning and helped him to develop his talents. Rizal's early education also gave him a strong foundation in the Spanish language, which was essential for his later studies and travels.
Rizal's early education was also shaped by the political climate of the time. The Philippines was under Spanish colonial rule, and the Spanish government was not interested in educating the Filipino people. The Spanish educational system was designed to produce obedient subjects, not independent thinkers.
In 1869, when Rizal was eight years old, he was sent to Binan to study at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. The school was run by the Dominicans, and it provided a traditional Spanish education. Rizal excelled in his studies, and he was a favorite student of his teachers.
Rizal's education in Binan was significant for several reasons. First, it was his first time away from home, which helped him to become more independent and self-reliant. Second, it allowed him to learn about Spanish culture and language, which would be essential for his later studies and travels. Third, it gave him the opportunity to meet and interact with other students from different backgrounds, which broadened his horizons and helped him to develop a more global perspective.
Rizal's education in Binan was a formative experience that helped to shape his character and his future. It was there that he developed his love of learning and his passion for social justice. It was also there that he began to develop his skills as a writer and a thinker.
In 1872, Rizal, who was 11 years old, returned to Calamba and enrolled in the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. The Ateneo was a prestigious Jesuit school, and it provided a more rigorous education than the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. Rizal continued to excel in his studies, and he was a member of the Circulo Hispano-Filipino, a literary society.
The school was run by the Jesuits, and it provided a more rigorous education than the Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
Rizal's education in Calamba was a turning point in his life. It was there that he began to develop his ideas about social justice and nationalism. It was also there that he began to write his first novel, Noli Me Tangere.
In 1877, Rizal graduated from the Ateneo with a degree in Bachelor of Arts.
It was in Ateneo Municipal where the young Pepe first make used of the surname Rizal (from the Spanish word ricial, meaning green field or pasture) which was uniquely chosen by Don Francisco to avoid suspicions from the Spanish authorities of their relationship with the martyr, Burgos.
In 1878, Rizal enrolled in the University of Santo Tomas to study medicine. The school was run by the Dominicans, and it was the premier university in the Philippines at the time. Rizal excelled in his studies, and he was a favorite student of his teachers.
He was known for his wit and intelligence, and he was also a talented artist and musician. He was a brilliant student, and he quickly rose to the top of his class.
However, Rizal was also a vocal critic of the Spanish colonial government. His time in UST was controversial, in 1882, he was forced to leave the UST after he was accused of plotting against the Spanish government.
In UST, Rizal saw and experienced the rampant discrimination of Spaniards to Filipinos. One of which was from a Dominican priest who swore that he will never ever pass Rizal in any subject under him (although records show that Rizal did not receive any failing grades). This made Rizal decide to leave UST and pursue his medical course in Spain.
However, Rizal's education in UST was still significant. It helped him to develop his ideas about social justice and nationalism, and it gave him the knowledge and skills he needed to fight for the rights of the Filipino people.