The General Assembly of the United Nations declared January 24 the International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.
The purpose of marking the day dedicated to education at the international level is to focus the attention of governments and people on the availability of education as a means of getting out of poverty. We need education to reduce inequalities and improve health, to protect our planet's resources. We need education to fight against hate speech, xenophobia and intolerance, and to foster global citizenship.
Today, 258 million children and youth still do not attend school; 617 million children and adolescents do not know how to read and do basic mathematics; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school, and around four million refugee children and youth do not go to school. Their right to education is being violated and this is unacceptable.
Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility.
Translated by: Andrea Božić