International day of education being observed today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and countries around the world are marking 24th January the second International Day of Education, telling us that countries will not succeed in solving the problem of poverty that keeps millions of children and their families behind without equal and affordable quality education for all.

In December 2018, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared January 24 as the International Day of Education to recognize the importance of learning for peace and prosperity.

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This is a reminder of our mutual responsibility to help both girl and boy gain their right to quality education, giving them a bridge out of deprivation and a route to a bright future.

This is to remember that 262 million children and youth around the globe are still not attending school. Those are in school, 617 million children and teens do not always have access to quality education and can not read and do simple math.

Currently, in Pakistan, 23 million children between the ages of 5-16 remain out of school. 44 percent of this age group’s total population. The country has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children (OOSC) at the elementary level, with five million children between the ages 5-9 not going to school.

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Quality education for all, as well as many other objectives such as poverty eradication, decent work and growth, decreased inequalities, enhanced health outcomes or equality between the genders is one of 2030, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by its own.

Quality education includes students who are healthy, very well-nourished, willing to participate, learn and support their families and societies in learning.