THE MISEDUCATION OF FILIPINOS

by: Renato Constantino

The following are some key points from Constantino's essay:

Impact of Colonialism:
According to Constantino, American colonizers established the Philippine
educational system to promote their own goals and maintain their hold on the
country's culture and economy. The educational system generally ignored
indigenous Filipino history, culture, and values to produce a class of Filipinos who
would be loyal to American ideas. He added that the school system encourages
Filipinos to feel that they are culturally inferior. He contends that while indigenous
knowledge and legacy are marginalized or ignored, Western literature, history, and
ideas are prioritized in the curriculum. This fosters a psychological dependence on
other cultures and maintains the notion that Western principles are superior.
Another key point is that it emphasizes how the Philippine educational system
contributes to the nation's economic dependence. Constantino claims that rather
than promoting critical thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurship, the curriculum
places a higher priority on the clerical and administrative skills necessary for colonial
or neocolonial service. Constantino claims that this results in a cycle of economic
dependence on foreign countries.

Lack of Patriotism
Furthermore, according to Constantino, Filipinos lack a strong feeling of
patriotism and a sense of national identity as a result of their miseducation. As a
result of the curriculum's failure to highlight the trials and triumphs of Filipino heroes
and its exaltation of Western characters, students become disassociated from their
history and find it harder to claim their cultural and national identities. In this case,
Constantino advocates for a curriculum that encourages the study of Filipino history,
culture, and values to decolonize the educational system. He contends that a truly
nationalistic education will equip Filipinos to solve the social, economic, and political
issues facing their nation and give them the capacity to control their destiny.

What are the points you agree with and disagree with? Why?
agree with Constantino’s view on how Filipinos show a lack of strong feelings of
patriotism. The characteristics of the young generations today is the effect of how our
ancestors

What insights did you get?

"The Miseducation of the Filipino," by Renato Constantino h examines the Philippine
educational system and focuses on how it aids in the cultural, economic, and political
subordination of Filipinos to foreign influences, particularly those from the United
States.
"The Miseducation of the Filipino" has also influenced ideas of decolonization and
the promotion of national identity in Filipino society.
Constantino’s work is still important for demonstrating the historical and cultural
influences that have shaped the educational system in the Philippines and their
effects on the people's sense of identity and social structure.