International Day of Education 2021

Children in classroom during pre-COVID-19 period

Originally published 25 January, 2021
As we observe this year’s International Day of Education, we should not only remind ourselves that education is a human right and about the challenges to achieving universal education, we should also look forward and start preparing our communities and countries for a post COVID-19 pandemic world. Education will need our focus, commitment and support.

​“Education is a human right
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." (https://www.un.org/en/observances/education-day)

“Challenges to achieving universal education
Education offers children a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future. But about 265 million children and adolescents around the world do not have the opportunity to enter or complete school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable.” (https://www.un.org/en/observances/education-day)

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