Jose Rizal

HIS EDUCATION
AND CAREER

BY:
JAHAINA BANAAG
CHRISPIN LOPEZ
ELET 2202
This lesson presents the early education of Jose Rizal that was
an important aspect of his political thought.

Like many children of the well-to-do, Jose received his early

education at home. He had a private tutors, but it quickly became
obvious that he was advanced beyond his teachers.

Although he attended school in Calamba, young Jose primarily

educated himself in the family library and through conversation with
family and friends. Finally it was decided that he would attend the
prestigious Ateneo Municipal School in the walled Intramuros,
pat of Manila. Thus, began the early education of the future
Filipino nationalist.
RIZAL’S FORMATIVE YEARS IN
ATENEO AND SCHOLASTIC
RECORDS
 The role of the Jesuits in
Philippine education is very
important. After they were
expelled from the archipelago in
1768, the order remained dormant
until members returned in 1859. By
1865, Ateneo was a secondary
school that offered rigorous
courses equivalent to college
academics. Ateneo was
considered the finest school in the
Philippines because of the
rigorous intellectual standards of
the Jesuits.
 It was in this environment that Jose Rizal began the education
that would solidify his political thoughts. While at Ateneo, Rizal
won a special prize in poetry for “A La Javentud Filipina” and
he cultivated the intellectual direction which led to his nationalistic
writings.

While attending Ateneo, Rizal developed into a first-rate student,

he was remembered as an original thinker, a creative scholar and a
natural leader

The most noticeable change in Rizal’s education was his mastery of

Spanish. Most of his famous works were written in Spanish
 It was Father Sanchez who recognized Rizal’s talent as a poet
and encouraged him to practice this craft. Rizal’s student poems are
impressionistic and amateurish, but they contain the seeds of his
future nationalism.
 Equally important was Father Jose
Villaclara who instructed Rizal in the
sciences and philosophy. He was a
young man who believed that Rizal was
wasting his time with poetry. He
developed a scientific curiosity in young
Rizal that lasted until his death. He
convinced Rizal to take a “scientific
attitude” about life. Villaclara’s classes
encouraged Rizal to express his earliest
national ideas. He was determined to
serve his people. That service would
define the key elements of Philippine
national feeling.
 During his years in Ateneo, Rizal desire to serve as a local
nationalist. Rizal wrote his poem “Por la Education Recibe Lustre
la Patria” argues that education is an integral part of national
character. He pointed out that the Friars intended to prevent the full
implementation of civil rights creating the second class citizens.
 An examination of Rizal’s memoirs suggested Ateneo was the
formative ones. Rizal would excel as a scientist, a fiction writer, a
nationalist, and a medical doctor, all possible because of his early
education.
Ambeth Ocampo, suggest that
Rizal was not a good student but
however an excellent student as
Rizal stood out as a student
leadrr and a national
spokesperson. One of the
problems with Rizal education
was the lack of intellectual
growth.
 COLLEGE LIFE IN
UNIBERSIDAD DE SANTO
TOMAS
After Ateneo, Rizal enrolled at the University of Sto. Tomas,
a Dominican school. This school was the only university in the
Philippines during the 19th century. It was at the University of
St Tomas that Rizal continued to create his vision of Philippine
Nationalism
WHY WAS THE UNIVERSITY OF STO TOMAS SO
INFLUENTIAL UPON RIZALS INTELLECTUAL
DEVELOPMENT?
Rizal continued to work on his political ideas, as found that
heavy emphasis on science was not to his liking. He remained
a poet at heart and his educational goal was towards the
liberal arts.

Rizal upon entering the university, was not certain which

course to pursue. the Jesuit priests advised him to take up
farming or to join the order. However his taste went towards
law, literature, or medicine.
In the end, he decided to sign up for Philosophy
and Letters during his freshmen year because of
the following reason:
1. It was what his father 2. He had failed to seek advice
would have wanted for of the rector of the Ateneo,
him. Father Ramon Pablo
As part of the course, he had
to complete units in the
following subjects:

• Cosmology and
Metaphysics
• Theodicy
• History of Philosophy
 Shifting to Medicine
• After completing his first year, Rizal decided to take up medicine
as his university course. This change of heart was due to two
factors:
1.Father Ramon Pablo, rector of the Ateneo, had advised him to
pursue the course.
2.Rizal's mother had failing eyesight and he thought he owed it to
her to become a doctor and cure her condition.

Rizal's performance at the University of Santo Tomas was not as

excellent as his time at the Ateneo. His grades after shifting to
medicine had suffered as well:
Unfortunately, Rizal was not happy at UST and this reflected
on his grades (Zaide & Zaide, 1999). There were three main
factors that contributed to his unhappiness at the university,
namely:

1.The Dominican professors were hostile to him.

2.Filipino students suffered discrimination.

3.The method of instruction at UST was obsolete and

repressive.
Likewise, there were three main reasons
for his struggling academic performance
(Guerrero, 1998):
Rizal was not satisfied with the system
of education at the university.

1.There were plenty of things to distract

a young man in the peak of his youth.
2. Medicine was not Rizal's true
vocation.

He would later find out that his real

calling was in the arts, not in medicine.