[WATCH] In The Public Square with John Nery: Teaching Rizal

Jose Rizal remains the nation’s preeminent hero 162 years since his birth, 136 years since Noli Me Tangere saw print, and 127 years since his execution. What does the current generation of students think of Rizal? In an age of digital distraction and disinformation, of competing channels and media clutter, how should Rizal be taught?

Since 1956, students in Philippine schools have been required by law to study Rizal’s life and work, in particular the two novels he wrote that inspired the Philippine Revolution. Do today’s students find Rizal engaging? What are the best ways to reach them?

In this episode of In The Public Square, veteran journalist and Rappler columnist John Nery talks to two innovators in spreading the word about, and from, Rizal. Kristoffer Pasion, a senior researcher at the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, has shared instructive and influential history posts on social media over the years. Paolo Ven Paculan, meanwhile, has been teaching at the Ateneo de Manila Junior High School for over two decades. In 2022, his Filipino translation of the Noli for high school students was published by the Ateneo de Manila University Press.

Watch In The Public Square on Wednesday, June 21, at 8 pm. – Rappler.com