About International Day of Education
International Day of Education is the United Nations day for education as a right rather than a favour, held on 24 January each year. In 2027 it falls on Sunday, 24 January 2027. UNESCO leads it, schools and colleges mark it with talks and enrolment drives, and in India the same date is also National Girl Child Day.
India put education into the Constitution as a fundamental right before the UN gave it a day. That order is worth remembering on 24 January, because it changes what an Indian message on this day can say.
Why is International Day of Education held on 24 January?
International Day of Education is held on 24 January because the UN General Assembly chose that date in resolution 73/25, adopted by consensus on 3 December 2018. Nigeria wrote the resolution along with 58 other member states, and the first International Day of Education was held on 24 January 2019.
There is no battle or birthday behind the date. The day was created to hold the world to a promise it had already made: Sustainable Development Goal 4, which asks every country to provide free, fair and decent schooling for all children by 2030. UNESCO runs the day and sets a theme for it each year.
The number UNESCO keeps repeating is the reason the day exists. About 250 million children and young people are out of school. Many more sit in classrooms without learning to read or count properly, which is a different problem and needs a different fix.
What does the right to education mean in India?
In India, education is a fundamental right for children aged six to fourteen. The 86th Constitutional Amendment of 2002 added Article 21A, and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, passed on 4 August 2009, came into force on 1 April 2010 to spell out what it means in practice.
In plain words, the Act says:
- A child aged six to fourteen must get free schooling in a neighbourhood school, and no fee or donation can be charged for it.
- A school cannot screen the child or the parents at admission, and cannot demand a capitation fee.
- A child who joins late must be put in a class that matches their age, with extra teaching to catch up.
- Private unaided schools must keep 25 per cent of seats in the entry class for children from weaker and disadvantaged groups, with the state paying.
- No child can be expelled until Class 8, though states may hold back students in Classes 5 and 8 after a re-examination.
The system resting on this is large. The Ministry of Education's UDISE+ count for 2023-24 recorded 14.72 lakh schools, 98.08 lakh teachers and 24.80 crore students.
How is International Day of Education marked in India?
It is a working day, not a holiday, so the day happens inside school and office hours. Schools hold assemblies and talks, colleges run panel discussions, and education departments and NGOs use the date for enrolment drives, back-to-school campaigns for children who dropped out, and collections of books and uniforms.
The date carries a second meaning in India. 24 January is also National Girl Child Day, so many schools combine the two and put the focus on girls who were pulled out of school for housework, marriage or a younger sibling to mind.
| Day | Date | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| International Day of Education | 24 January | The UN day for education as a right, led by UNESCO |
| National Girl Child Day | 24 January | India's day for the rights, health and schooling of girls |
| Teachers' Day | 5 September | Birth anniversary of S. Radhakrishnan, marked in Indian schools |
| International Literacy Day | 8 September | Reading and writing, including adult learners |
| National Education Day | 11 November | Birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India's first education minister |
What should you write on International Day of Education?
Write to a person, not to the cause. The day is dry on its own, and a message that thanks a named teacher, a librarian, an anganwadi worker or a parent who paid fees they could not afford will always read better than a quote about education being the strongest weapon.
Happy International Day of Education, ma'am. You taught a class of fifty and still noticed when one of us went quiet. Thank you.
On International Day of Education, thank you for the meetings, the school visits and the files nobody sees. The results take years and you keep at it.
Happy Education Day, Ma and Papa. You argued with everyone who said a degree was money wasted on me. It wasn't.
Happy International Day of Education. Going back to class at thirty-five takes more nerve than clearing the exam did at eighteen. Proud of you.
Happy Education Day. Marks this term are not the point. Keep asking the question you think is too silly to ask.
On International Day of Education, thank you for the evening classes and the follow-up calls to families. Those calls are why the children came back.
Do
- Name a subject, a teacher or a moment; general praise for education reads like a poster.
- If you are posting for an organisation, use a real figure with its source and year.
- Mention girls' schooling if you are marking the day in India, since 24 January is National Girl Child Day too.
Avoid
- Don't send it as a holiday greeting. It is a working day everywhere in India.
- Don't use the day to sell a course or a coaching class.
- Avoid making a first-generation learner the subject of a public post without asking them.
For teachers specifically, see Teachers' Day on 5 September and World Teachers' Day on 5 October. For adult literacy, see International Literacy Day.
How to wish someone on International Day of Education
A message on 24 January works best when it names one real person who taught you something: a school teacher, an anganwadi worker, a parent who kept you in school, a friend who went back to study at forty. Keep slogans out of it. For colleagues in education, thank them for the part of the work nobody photographs.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + recipient language.
When is International Day of Education in 2026 and 2027?
International Day of Education is on 24 Jan every year. Only the weekday changes.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day of Education in 2027?
International Day of Education 2027 falls on Sunday, 24 January 2027.
Who started International Day of Education?
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed it on 3 December 2018 through resolution 73/25, which Nigeria co-authored with 58 other member states. UNESCO leads the observance, and the first International Day of Education was held on 24 January 2019.
Is International Day of Education a holiday in India?
No. Schools, colleges and offices stay open on 24 January, and the day is not on any central or state holiday list. Schools usually mark it with an assembly, a talk or a poster competition during the working day.
What is the difference between International Day of Education and National Education Day?
International Day of Education, on 24 January, is a United Nations observance about education as a right worldwide. National Education Day, on 11 November, is an Indian day marking the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, independent India's first education minister.
What does the Right to Education Act give a child in India?
The Right to Education Act, 2009 gives every child aged six to fourteen free and compulsory schooling in a neighbourhood school, with no admission screening and no capitation fee. It also requires private unaided schools to reserve 25 per cent of entry-class seats for children from weaker and disadvantaged groups.
What can a school do on International Day of Education?
The most useful school activity is one that reaches a child who is not in the room: a survey of out-of-school children in the neighbourhood, a book and uniform collection, or an invitation to a first-generation graduate from the area to speak. Assemblies and poster competitions work best when they end with something like that.
Why is 24 January important in India besides education?
24 January is National Girl Child Day in India, observed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which is why many Indian schools mark the two days together with a focus on keeping girls in school.
Last verified by the Kehdoo team on .