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The present situation of our educational system is not so different from Rizal’s time. Many of
the youth of today are lucky to be even able to finish secondary school. That lack of education
leads to many youths to be tricked and taken advantage of by various evil elements. Some are
used as commodities for human trafficking, used as traders of illegal drugs. By having a proper
education, Rizal believes such interference can be averted through informed decisions and
independent will as opposed to the constant decision mongering of people who perceived
themselves of superior intellect.
Idealistically, yes the Filipino youth is relevant to Rizal but the underlying question is Rizal
relevant to the Filipino youth? Rizal has a clear vision for us but are we fulfilling our end of the
agreement? The sad reality is many of today’s youth have strayed from the path Rizal has
already laid out for us. Early pregnancies, solvent snorting antics under bridges, a rise of
underage related crimes, and out of school youths are probably turning Rizal in his grave and
making him shed tears for us, the youth that he gave his life away for.
When Rizal was exiled in Dapitan in 1892, one for the first things he did was to establish a
school. The school trained boys how to speak in Spanish, farming and agricultural skills, as well
as physical education. The boys that Rizal taught eventually led respectable lives in Dapitan
Another evidence of Rizal’s belief that education is the shown in Rizal’s famous sculptures The
Triumph of Science over Death and The Triumph of Death over Life. The dichotomy of Rizal’s
masterpiece shows that scientific advancement leads humankind overcoming the bane of death,
whereas the lack of knowledge and the prevalence of ignorance lead to the loss of life.
From Rizal’s example education prepares us with the necessary skill needed in order to survive
in life. The norms of society have already dictated that a proper education is the key to a better
tomorrow.
As long as concept of education exists in our country, Rizal’s memory lives on. It’s not about the
wreath laying and the long speech about Rizal’s greatness, what truly matters is we continue on
what he had started.
As long as we keep on passing the torch of knowledge, as long as we view the youth and the next
generation as our hope the future then Rizal’s death would not have been in vain. Freedom is not
always about being free from foreign interference or from a mad dictator but when you are free
from the shackles of ignorance