Reading Renato Constantino’s essay entitled “The Miseducation of the Filipinos” gives me an impression that there’s much more to what we see in these days about the educational system in the Philippines.
There are many concepts presented by the author that has been taken for granted by the leaders, curriculum planners and other key players in the education system in the country. It is evident that no educator has come up with an educational system that is nationalist.
The author emphasizes in the essay that the educational system is patterned in the American educational system which worked in the beginning. But in the end, after we gain our own independence, the context of the educational system no longer worked because it is good only for American framework.
Filipinos were conquered by the Americans through education. Constantino reiterated that capturing the mind is the best means of conquest. Thus, Filipinos were educated by the Americans to become good colonials. Filipinos were taught to write, read, speak in English; Filipinos became literate, but were brain washed and became strangers to their native land; to the culture and history of their own country.
Education was established based on the American framework by the Americans not just for the purpose of educating the Filipinos but also to preserve and control their control to our country.
Filipinos were disoriented to their nationalist goals because they had to become good colonials. The use of English as medium of instruction caused division among the Filipinos; educated were separated from the masses. “They had to forget their past and unlearn nationalist virtue in order to live peacefully, if not comfortably, under the colonial order.” Filipinos learned the lives of the American Heroes, sang American Songs and forgot about their past, their culture and from where they belong. They live their life the American way. Filipinos became “LITTLE AMERICANS”.
Economically, politically, culturally, the US is the master of our own house. They lay little emphasis on the kind of nationalism Filipinos need. Americans inculcate to Filipinos since the first grade that they were a benevolent nation who came to the Philippines to save us from Spain, when in fact they were colonizing the country through education. The country was portrayed by Americans as an Agricultural nation that should remain as one. They instill to the Filipino minds that industrialization is not good for them. Our countrymen were pleased of the “STATE SIDE” products and forgot about the products made in the country. Filipinos never thought that they too could industrialize and was left behind by other Asian countries like Japan.
Constantino also contended that because of this American orientation, the new economic emancipation and assertion of political sovereignty pushed our educators to reexamine education’s general approach, values and philosophy. The education of the Filipino must be a Filipino education. It must be based on the needs and goals of the nation. Its primary objective is to produce a citizenry that appreciates and is conscious of its nationhood and has national goals for the betterment of the community and not just people who know how to take care of themselves only. Philippine education therefore must produce Filipinos who are aware of the country’s problems and who understand the basic solutions for these problems. It should also produce Filipinos who care enough and have courage to work and sacrifice for the country.
Reading Reato Constantino’s essay made me realize that there’s more than what we think in our current educational system. There is an unending problem that had strike the foundation of our education curriculum and the worse thing is that it had affected Filipinos massively and extensively. No wonder why students these days no longer want to work in the country which causes brain drain everywhere in the archipelago.
Reality hurts, but obviously we are a great example of a country that doesn’t seem to have a deeply-rooted sense of nationalism. Many Filipinos prefer foreign songs than OPM songs. Others love signature products (“state side”) than Philippine made stuffs. Many youth don’t even know the history, culture of our dear Philippines. A great number of the population doesn’t care about the social and political issues in the country. Worst of all, many of our leaders think that we cannot progress without the help of other foreign countries, a concrete example is letting the United States of America to intervene with the way our government leaders run our country. The American education stresses the importance of the ability to compete internationally and we simply follow their belief without knowing that our own nationalism is gone. I agree when the author said that the truest aim of education is to train people of their unique individuality as one nation. Curriculum planners must come up with a curriculum or educational system that is one hundred percent Filipino. They must provide every Filipino with an educational system that would arouse and develop our nationalism and love for our country. Furthermore, Filipinos should not only go to school to have their diplomas but should also embed to these their desire to graduate and help/serve the country.
