Where culture and nation-building intersect

Culture and history infused in education are key components involved in nation-building. Education has the unique ability to foster national unity and cohesiveness. Utilizing culture and history in crafting social development frameworks additionally fosters the creation of a national identity. The primary place where the formation of nationalism occurs is in classrooms and in schools.

Father John Schumacher, SJ wrote in an essay, Higher Education and Nationalism: “If the role of the university in society is to be an agent of progress, to be a source of ideas, to enable its students not only to achieve technical competence to act as doctors, businessmen, and scientists to serve the needs of society, but also to have the understanding and vision to direct that society toward its national goals…” In the 19th century, education played a key role in the establishment and development of the Philippine national consciousness and the beginnings of Revolution. As Father Schumacher wrote: “…That such was possible was the work of the Propaganda Movement of the previous two decades in creating a national consciousness, a sense of being one Filipino people.” 

Understand that this was an accidental by-product of opening higher education to Filipinos. Once certain Spaniards understood what was occurring, a flurry of recommendations to limit the quality of the Filipino education was issued. A Spanish journalist, Jose del Pan, wrote: “How much better for all concerned, if Filipinos were taught to be useful rather than the liberal arts.” A fundamental part of liberal arts is philosophy, literature, science, sociology, culture, and history. Consider what Jose Rizal would write of his first encounter with the liberal arts: “the eyes of my intelligence opened a little, and my heart began to cherish nobler sentiments…” Later, as Father Schumacher noted, he began to develop nationalistic sentiments as a result of his liberal arts education.

In our last column we brought up how the Katipunan intrinsically understood the need to connect social movements to culture and history. They appropriated the Bernardo Carpio myth as both an allegory for their struggle for independence and freedom and a warning to future leaders on the perils of hubris (pride) and self-interest. That type of rigorous ethical thought was expressed throughout the La Liga Filipina constitution: “The member who does not help another member in case of need or danger, although able to do so, shall be punished...”

It did as well for the Katipunan. Emilio Jacinto wrote the Mga Aral ng Katipunan. One of the guidelines expressed: “A life that is not consecrated to a large and holy greatness is a tree without shade, if not a poisonous weed.” Our Founding Fathers understood, in some ways better than we do today, what it takes to build a successful Filipino society. Much like Aesop’s Fables, culture and history can become parables to teach ethics and morality.

Within the context of education, culture and history it is instructive to consider what our education system has become and what we are teaching the next generation through word and deed. For the Spanish during the 19th century, they realized the mistake they made when they educated Filipinos, and not just taught them skills acquisition. From education came nationalism. In this light, the UNESCO policy recommendations concerning culture and education are on the mark: “The cultural dimension celebrates people as continuous works in progress and not artifacts, considers cultural diversity wealth, and aids people to rationalize how they will choose to live - hopefully with the common good . . . in mind.”

A new Philippines is not going to develop in the halls of Malacañang or the chambers of Congress. It is going to be created and nurtured in our schools and in the hearts and minds of our children. Culture must be an integral part of this. Jose Rizal, Emilio Jacinto, the Katipunan and Propagandists well understood. Bernardo Carpio and the cry for freedom still resonate today.