Por la Educación Recibe Lustre la Patria

por José Rizal y Alonso

Jose Rizal wrote this poem in 1876 during his fifth year in Bachiller en Artes in Ateneo Municipal.  The poem speaks of the Jesuits who established a strong relationship between education and faith, the ratio studiorum (plan of studies).  The poem also advocates the importance of education at a very young age.  He compared education to the goddess of light, wisdom, hope, peace and truth and also indicated that education is the hope to attain the country’s freedom.