Summary of Chapter IV (topic 5, 6, 7 and 8):
Rizal insists on Education as the Instrumental for Social Progress. A major contribution to the making of the Filipino nation was Rizal’s insistence on the education. He considered this as cornerstone of the reforms of the country. In his desire to improve the lot of the people he saw the need to educate them first. To him reforms would not mean anything at all if the people did not understand them. Only education could make this possible. Here lies the primacy of education.
He was to show them that education stands as the foundation of society. Through the mayor of San Diego in the Noli Me Tangere, Rizal stated the role of education in national development: A school is being founded and the school is the basis of society, the school is the book in which is written the future of the nations! Show us the schools of people and we will show you what a people are.
Rizal pleaded to government authorities to take steps to improve the education of the Filipinos: Rizal wrote, “That the cause of our backwardness and ignorance is the lack of means of education, the vice that afflicts us from the beginning until the end of our careers.”
Rizal advanced all possible arguments in favor of the Filipinos’ need for education. “Without education and liberty – the soil and the sun of mankind no measure can give the desired result”, wrote Rizal. Rizal’s appeal for education was not contrary to Spain’s aim at Christianizing the Filipinos. Rizal warned Spain against the possible outcome that may arise from denying the people the benefits of education. The enriching events of Rizal’s study abroad made him see how education could bring social progress. And this he directed toward the development of national sentiment. Rizal’s desire to share with his people what he had learned during his studies in Spain, France, Germany and his observations in London and Belgium became his supreme...