International Day Of Education: What Is Its Significance?

It is known that education is a fundamental right. Without an inclusive and equitable environment for education, no country in the world would be able to develop and prosper for future generations. This is why, each year, 24 January is celebrated as the International Day of Education with the aim of empowering people with the potential for education, peace, and prosperity. It is observed that on this day, various workshops, seminars, events, and educational programs are held and conducted in order to emphasize the importance of this day. 

This year’s theme is, ‘To Invest In People, Prioritize Education.’ UNESCO has dedicated International Day of Education 2023 to the girls and women of Afghanistan, who are being deprived of their fundamental right to education, as it calls for the immediate lifting of the ban that restricts their access to education. According to the reports provided by UNESCO, over 244 million children are out of school, and about 771 million adults are illiterate worldwide. 

The event will be celebrated on January 25 at the UNESCO headquarters in New York. “International Day of Education 2023 will be a global platform to sustain political mobilization, take forward national commitments and global initiatives, and step up public engagement in favor of education as the path to peace, sustainable development, and individual and collective well-being,” the UN release mentioned. They also said that “the right to education is enshrined in article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration calls for free and compulsory elementary education. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989, goes further to stipulate that countries shall make higher education accessible to all.”

This year marks the 5th International Day of Education. The significance of celebrating the International Day of Education is to make education accessible to everyone irrespective of religion, caste, or creed.

It is also quite wondrous to look at the kind of development India has had in terms of education; with the increased demand and the overall educational awareness that has developed in the minds of today’s generation. In the past decade, more and more of the youth have opted for higher education, whether domestic or international. There is a demand for better education opportunities, and this demand has arisen because of the increase in awareness among the people. From EdTech platforms training promoting overseas education to international universities looking to set up campuses in India, it is evident that the education sector has come a long way. 

Currently, India is the second-largest country in terms of sending students overseas for education and is expected to touch 2 million outbound overseas students by the end of this year, which is a huge milestone. The role of technology has been crucial in regard to contributing toward the mobilization of such a large number. This is why EdTech platforms also have increased significantly in this exponential spurt. These platforms provide a one-stop solution for all needs related to education abroad.