Every January 24th is observed around the world as International Day of Education. The purpose of this holiday is to advocate for improved access to education for everyone. Approximately 39% of the global poor have no formal education, and one out of six children in low- and middle-income countries will not complete primary school.

This is a travesty of the highest order, and it’s up to all of us to address the issue head-on. Education is not only necessary to ensure that people can improve their living conditions, but it’s also a human right. Everyone in the world deserves adequate access to education, and it’s the public’s responsibility to provide that access.

The History of International Day of Education

On December 3rd, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared January 24th as the International Day of Education. In 2019, the day was officially observed for the first time, and it has been observed all around the world since. This holiday was created to inspire everyone to take action—not only individuals but also policymakers and government agencies.

Important Facts About Education

We can’t cover a holiday as important as the International Day of Education without taking the time to learn more about education around the world. When we first learned about the educational disparities that many poor children around the world face, we knew that we had to share that information with everyone reading.

• In 2022, there were over 781 million adults who could not read or write. Two-thirds of them were female.
• In 2022, about 114 million children were illiterate.
• There are over 244 million children that aren’t in school worldwide.
• Approximately 1 out of 4 illiterate adults in the world live in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Providing educational equity can reduce a country’s chance of violent conflict.
• Educated girls and women are more likely to negotiate better life-saving healthcare for themselves and their children.
• Educating women around the world can help make them more resilient as they face the challenges presented by climate change.
• In Northern Africa and Southern Asia, women aged 15 years and older are 25% less likely to be literate than men in the same age group.

Observing International Day of Education

Everyone can take part in this holiday, regardless of whether they’re in government or involved in education in any capacity. People can take the time to learn more about education in their area and support it whenever possible.

This includes reaching out to policymakers and letting them know just how important education is to them. While observing this holiday, everyone should take the time to use the hashtag #InternationalDayOfEducation to spread the word about it across the globe.