International Education Day (24/01)

By its resolution of December 3, 2018 (A/RES/73/25), the UN General Assembly proclaimed January 24 as International Day of Education, recognizing its role in achieving peace and development.

The draft resolution was proposed by the Nigerian delegation at the Global Conference on Education, held in Brussels, and supported by 58 Member States, demonstrating the political will to support inclusive, accessible and quality education for all.

The resolution recognizes the importance of education for achieving sustainable development and emphasizes that education can increase individual productivity and increase the potential for economic growth, contribute to the eradication of poverty and hunger, and promote health and gender equality.

The document also states that efforts must be made to ensure the inclusion and equity of all educational institutions, including primary, secondary, university and vocational training, so that everyone can take the opportunity to learn for life and therefore fully participate in society and contribute to sustainable development.

Education is the right of every person, as enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She calls for free primary education for everyone. And the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989, contains a provision on the obligation of states to ensure access to higher education for all.

After all, education provides an opportunity to get out of poverty and ensure prosperity in the future. However, according to the UN, there are currently 244 million children and adolescents out of school; 617 million children and adolescents lack basic reading and math skills; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa receive primary secondary education and about four million refugee children and young people do not attend school. These children suffer from poverty, discrimination, armed conflict, emergencies and the effects of climate change. Migration and forced displacement also have a negative impact on education.

Therefore, today's date has an important educational function — helps draw attention to the serious problem of the lack of opportunity for every fifth child in the world to study.

In addition, according to UNESCO representatives, it is necessary to pay attention to the important role of education and teachers in the fight against hate speech, a phenomenon that has become increasingly widespread in recent years due to the use of social networks, destroying the fabric of our society. Hate speech and conspiracy theories targeting specific communities are spreading rapidly on social media and other online platforms. A recent UNESCO/IPSOS survey in 16 countries found that 67% of Internet users had experienced hate speech online and that 85% were concerned about the impact and impact of disinformation on their fellow citizens, viewing it as a real threat that could destabilize society.

Education provides many opportunities to address the root causes of hate speech and to sensitize students of all ages to its forms and consequences online and offline. This includes teaching students the skills to recognize and respond to hatred and injustice, nurturing in a spirit of respect for the value of diversity and human rights, and understanding the difference between hate speech and freedom of expression.

Today's date has an important educational function (Photo: YanLev, licensed by Shutterstock.com)

Russia is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of inclusive quality education for all. The coverage of general education in the Russian Federation is more than 99%, and the availability of preschool education, as of January 1, 2021, is estimated at 98%. The national project "Education", implemented in the country, is aimed at solving two key tasks — is ensuring the global competitiveness of Russian education and Russia’s entry into the top 10 countries in the world in terms of the quality of general education, as well as — education of a harmoniously developed and socially responsible person based on spiritual and moral values of the peoples of the Russian Federation, historical and national-cultural traditions.

According to Rosstat, there are more than 40 thousand organizations in the country carrying out educational activities in educational programs of primary, basic and secondary general education, and more than 720 higher educational institutions. In Russia, more than 650 specialties are being implemented in bachelor's, master's, specialist's, postgraduate (residency, adjuncture), and assistant-internship programs. In addition, there are many benefits for students receiving secondary vocational and higher education. Russia — is one of the few countries that provides foreigners with the opportunity to study free of charge on a budgetary basis.

The General Assembly invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations and civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, religious organizations, academic institutions, private sector organizations, individuals and other relevant stakeholders to observe the International Day of Education in an appropriate manner.

The General Assembly entrusted the key activities for the celebration of the Day to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to education.



• Infographics — poster «January 24 — Online Learning Day»

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