Rizal's

Education in
Manila
Lesson 3
A.Y. 2022-2023, Midterm Class
Secondary Education of R i za l
i n Ate n e o
 He took entrance exam on June 1872 at Colegio San Juan
de Letran , four months after the execution of Gomburza
and Doña Teodora still in prison.
Francisco M e r c a d o w a n t e d Jose to study at
C o le g io d e Sa n J u a n d e Le t ra n b u t Pa c ia n o c o n v in c e d h im
t o let Jose s t u d y i n s t e a d a t A t e n e o M u n i c i p a l d e Manila.
With t h e h e lp of M a n u e l Xerez Burgos, t h e n e p h e w of t h e
p rie st J o se Bu rg o s, Riza l w a s a d m it t e d t o At e n e o d e sp it e
objections from some school administrators.
EDUCATION OF RIZAL IN ATENEO MUNICIPAL DE MANILA

• Rizal was sent in Ateneo Municipal de Manila for a 5 year

program where he took Bachelor of Art.
• When he was 11 years old, Rizal entered the Ateneo
Municipal de Manila - school under the supervision of
Jesuit priests.
In t h e f irst t w o t e rm s a t At e n e o , c la sse s w e re d iv id e d
i nto g r o u p s of i nterns a n d externs. The i nterns
c o n s t i t u t e d t h e R o m a n Empire while t h e externs
c o n st it u t e d t h e C a rt h a g in ia n Em p ire . In e a c h g ro u p ,
t h e r e were five d i g n i t a r i e s : t h e S t a n d a r d - b e a r e r,
C enturion, Decurion, Tribune, a n d t h e Emperor
w h o wa s c o n s i d e r e d t o b e t h e b e s t s t u d e n t in class.
Riza l, g ro u p e d in t h e C a rt h a g in ia n Em p ire , w a s ra n ke d
a t t h e b o t t o m of t h e c l a s s a t t h e s t a r t of t h e t e r m .
He ke p t o n g e t t in g p ro m o t e d so t h a t b y t h e e n d o f h is
first m o n t h , he h a d a l r e a d y a t t a i n e d t h e rank of
Emperor.
 Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College
during the noon recesses to improve his Spanish
language. He paid three pesos for those extra Spanish
lessons

He became a member and an officer in a religious society,

Marian Concregation and also a member of Academy of
EXTRA- Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural Sciences
CURRICULAR Rizal studied painting under the famous Spanish painter,
ACTIVITIES Agustin Saez, and sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus,
noted Filipino sculptor. He also studied fencing and
gymnastics.

Father Francisco Paula de Sanchez encouraged him to

enhance his writings and recognized Rizal’s talent as a
poet. Dr. Rizal began writing in Spanish language
During his s t a y in Ateneo, he wr o t e
p o e m s a n d c r a f t e d sculptures .
 Some of poems he wrote during stay in
Ateneo:
1. Mi Primera Inspiracion
2. Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My
Town)
3. La Tragedia De San Estaquio
 As a result of the talent he had in fine arts, Rizal
was able to carved the image of Virgin Mary and
Sacred Heart of Jesus.
 Rizal continuously exemplified scholastic
excellence s u c h t h a t he w a s the p r i d e of the
Jesuits as he r e c e i v e d the h i g h e s t
g r a d e s in a l m o s t all his classes. During his
fourth year, Rizal became an interno in
Ateneo. On M a r c h 23, 1877, he o b t a i n e d the
degree Bachiller en Artes a n d w a s a w a r d e d
a s on e o f the sobresaliente ( o u t s t a n d i n g ) i n
his batch.
S a c r e d Heart
of J e s u s
Higher Education of R i za l i n
U ST
 Rizal w e n t on t o a t t e n d the University of Santo
To m a s ( U S T ) t o s t u d y Philosophy and Letters . After a
year, he sh if t e d t o st u d y m e d ic in e , w h e re h e w a s a llo w e d t o
tak e u p p r e p a r a t o r y m e d i c a l c o u r s e s a n d r e g u l a r
first ye a r m e d i c a l c o u r s e s a t the s a m e ti me.
 Rizal’s academic life in UST was full of controversies and
hardships compared to his time in Ateneo.
It w a s r e p o r t e d on v a r io u s o c c a s i o n s t h a t Rizal h a d " u n h a p p y
days" a t UST for th r e e reasons.
1 . D o m i n i c a n p r of e s s or s were hostile to him.
2. Filipinos we r e v u l n e r a b l e to r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
3 . Th e m e t h o d of i n s t r u c t i o n w a s r e p r essi ve a n d d a t e d .

 Rizal’s unsatisfactory performance can also be attributed to the

existing distractions of youth he experienced as a student in
Manila. Rizal became fascinated with women.
Liberalism and Filipino Students in UST
 To encourage the production of literary works in Manila, the Liceo Artistico
Literario de Manila, an organization of art lovers in the city conducted regular
competition on literary writing.
 Rizal joined the contest together with his entries: A La Juventud Filipina (To
the Filipino Youth) – first great poem in Spanish written by a Filipino depicting
the nationalistic concept that the Filipino youth were the fair hope of
motherland and El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods) were
adjudged as the best entry in the said competition.
 Rizal organized a secret society of Filipino students in UST.
 In 18 8 2, J o se Riza l f in ish e d h is f o u rt h y e a r in UST a n d le f t
t h e Philippines b o u n d for Spain wh e r e he c o n t i n u e d his
st u d y o f m e d ic in e a t t h e Un iv e rsid a d C e n t ra l d e Ma d rid . He
o b t a i n e d m u l t i p l e d e g r e e s in philosoph y and letters,
and
m e d i c i n e in 1884 and 1885.