National Education Day: Date, importance & celebration
Without education, all of us would be lost souls. We will not know how to navigate our way through the world intelligently and righteously.
There is no denying how empowering a tool education is! After all, single-handedly responsible for accurately teaching us about the world, everything in it and the horizons beyond it. It is the one and only key to success. The thing that gives kids and adults alike the power to realise their dreams!
It really is no surprise then that our great nation chose to celebrate National Education Day every year since 2008!
Want to know more about it including the what, when and why of it? We have every single answer right here for you!
What is National Day Education Day all about?
Everything you need to know about National Education Day is right here!
Let us begin with the question ‘who started it?’
The answer to that is the Ministry of Human Resource Development!
That is right! If you had guessed the Ministry of Education, that would be wrong. In the year 2008, the Ministry of Human Resource Development in a bid to honour the birth anniversary of the iconic activist and leader, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
One thing you need to know about National Education Day is that it is referred to by another name as well. And that is Rashtriya Shiksha Diwas. It is good to know. It is also good to know that Maulana Azad was the first Minister of Education in our great country!
Know more about Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Born as Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad in the year 1888, Maulana Azad was one of the most well-known activists at the time of our Independence movement.
An avid reader since his childhood, Maulana Azad always, without a doubt, believed in the power of education and how transformative and empowering it can really be. In fact, he was so fond of reading that he started his own library when he was just about a boy of 11! And he also set up a debating society inviting bright minds to discuss and ponder over their thoughts, views and ideas.
Maulana Azad was so academically inclined as well as poetic that he channelled his love for both in a home-grown publication that he called Nairang-e-Alam.
But that was not his only literary venture. During his late teens, he started a newspaper by the name of Al-Hilal using it as a mouthpiece to attack British rule. Though this paper was shut down by the British, that in no way deterred his spirit. In fact, it spurred him to release another regular publication along the same lines called Al-Balagh. Kalam never put down his pen in the fight for freedom from British rule.
Decoding Maulana Azad’s views on education
Since National Education Day is celebrated in memory of Maulana Azad, knowing about his views on education can give you a glimpse into the core beliefs and values of this great man.
He was a firm believer that education is a tool of empowerment. And that schools are the avenue through which we get the shining future of our nation. A place where brilliant minds are made.
What made him ahead of his times though was that he truly believed boys and girls had an equal right to education. He was the pioneer of technical education and vocational training. That means almost all of his have him to thank for our careers. And that kind of contribution simply cannot be measured. It is invaluable.
His zeal to make India a literate and well-educated nation led to him making primary education both free and compulsory in India for kids up to 14 years old. A historic achievement!
The importance of National Education Day
Calling Maulana Azad the ‘father of education’ in India will not be an overstatement by a long shot. His contribution towards ensuring everyone got access to education is truly inspiring even to this day.
If we get down to listing everything he has done in this regard, this blog would turn into a thesis! But let us try to list his notable contributions so you get an idea of the gravity, of the importance of this day.
Heard of Jamia Millia Islamia University? Maulana Azad was one of the core founders of this renowned institution. That is not all. He also played a crucial role in laying the foundation of the college every aspiring engineer wants to go to! The uber famous IIT or the Indian Institute of Technology. What’s more, the University Grants Commision was also set up by him. Even several prominent academies such as Sahitya Academy and Sangeet Natak Academy among others were set up under his tenure.
His impact has been so profound, that it also eventually led to the establishment of several notable educational institutions throughout our country – from Maulana Azad Medical College in Delhi to Maulana Azad University of Technology in the city of Kolkata.
National Education Day celebrations – when, who and how
Now for the date you have been waiting for! National Education Day is celebrated on November 11th of each year. It is observed by schools, colleges and universities alike with much fanfare. Almost all educational institutions arrange cultural programmes to honour the legacy of this truly great man.
Expect educational institutions to host a wide variety of programmes – be it debates, workshops, and seminars or elocution and essay writing competitions. Students get ample opportunities to showcase all of their talents.
As for this year, National Education Day will be celebrated on a Saturday.
National Education Day slogans and quotes to remember
Any celebration of this day is incomplete without National Education Day slogans. These powerful quotes serve as a good reminder of the value of education and how it can empower us to be good people and even better citizens. Here is a list of quotes from pro-education people all over the world.
- Education imparted by heart can bring revolution in the society.” – Maulana Azad
- Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X
- Learning never exhausts the mind.” – Leonardo Da Vinci
- Climbing to the top demands strength, whether it is to the top of Mount Everest or to the top of your career.” – Maulana Azad
- Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
Truly, education is the key to making our world a better place for everyone, including nature and all of its creatures. Thus the foundation of your child’s education should be both strong and enriching. Something that you can get if you enrol your kids into EuroKids preschool. We have a wide network of state-of-the-art, experiential learning-oriented play schools throughout the country. To know more about us, visit us.