What would Dr. Jose Rizal say, if he were alive today and found that there exists a severe education crisis, one that threatens our country’s economic future, and the promise of its young and vibrant workforce?
To address the education crisis, policymakers ought to take urgent steps to increase spending in the education sector, and give local governments more autonomy.
In 2018, the Philippines first participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Among 79 participating countries, our students (specifically 15-year-olds) ranked dead last in Reading, and second-to-last in Math and Science.
This was followed by the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) which showed that a whopping nine in 10 Grade 5 Filipino students could not comprehend what they were reading.
The legacy of our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal continues to resonate through generations. His enduring impact lies in his ideals, principles, and unwavering commitment to social justice and freedom, beyond his role as a polymath, nationalist, writer, and intellectual, excelling in various fields such as literature, medicine, and activism.
His experiences abroad, particularly in Europe, exposed him to Enlightenment ideals, and fueled his fervor for reform in his homeland. His essays, poems, and letters further elucidated his vision for a liberated Philippines, grounded in education, reason, and civic responsibility.
Rizal believed in education, utilizing his pen as a powerful weapon against oppression, as the important tool for people empowerment to uplift society and liberate minds.
As a catalyst for social wakening, his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo exposed the injustices and abuses perpetrated against Filipinos under Spanish colonial rule.
He co-founded La Liga Filipina, a nationalist organization advocating for social reforms, and Filipino representation in governance.
Despite his non-violent approach, Rizal’s advocacy for reform posed a significant threat to the Spanish authorities, leading to his arrest and eventual execution.
He fueled the flames of revolution after he was executed on Dec. 30, 1896 in the hands of Spanish colonial authorities. Rizal’s martyrdom ignited a spark of revolution that would eventually lead to the Philippine declaration of Independence in 1898.
His legacy remains relevant in the pursuit of a more just and equitable society.
Pitiful social conditions existed in the country as late as three centuries after the conquest by Spain, with agriculture, commerce, communications, and education languishing under its most backward state. It was because of this social malady that social evils like inferiority complex, cowardice, timidity, and false pride pervaded nationally, and contributed to the decay of social life.
Since education is the foundation of society, and a prerequisite for social progress, Rizal had always reiterated that only through education could the country be saved from domination.
For now, the country’s legislators need to be reminded that the Philippine Constitution mandates that education be assigned the “highest budgetary priority” annually.
As a result of a dysfunctional educational system governance, the road to fixing the education crisis is long, complicated, and difficult.
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Happy birthday and more blessings to Anesia “Aning” Dy-Sy!
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Author’s email: whelmayap@yahoo.com
