International Day of Education is observed on January 24 every year. It looks at education from a broader perspective. The quality of education varies for children around the world, with millions still deprived of this basic human right. The day is created to campaign for better education reforms and improve access to education for all.

Background

Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

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.