National Education Day Essay Example

National Education Day Essay Example National Education Day Essay National Education Day Essay A brief biography is given here Abul Kalam Azad Date of birth: 11 November 1888 Place of birth: Mecca, Ottoman Empire (now in Saudi Arabia) Date of death: 22 February 1958 Place of death: Delhi, India Movement: Indian independence movement Major organizations: Indian National Congress Maulana Abul Kalam Muhiyuddin Ahmed (11 November 1888 – 22 February 1958) was a Muslim scholar and a senior political leader of the Indian independence movement. He was one of the most prominent Muslim leaders to support Hindu-Muslim unity, opposing the partition of India on communal lines. Following India’s independence, he became the first Minister of Education in the Indian government. He is commonly remembered as Maulana Azad; he had adopted Azad (Free) as his pen name. As a young man, Azad composed poetry in Urdu as well as treatises on religion and philosophy. He rose to prominence through his work as a journalist, publishing works critical of the British Raj and espousing the causes of Indian nationalism. Azad became a leader of the Khilafat Movement during which he came into close contact with Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. Azad became an enthusiastic supporter of Gandhi’s ideas of non-violent civil disobedience, and worked actively to organize the Non-cooperation movement in protest of the 1919 Rowlatt Acts. Azad committed himself to Gandhi’s ideals, including promoting Swadeshi (Indigenous) products and the cause of Swaraj (Self-rule) for India. He would become the youngest person to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1923. As India’s Education Minister, Azad oversaw the establishment of a national education system with free primary education and modern institutions of higher education. He is also credited with the foundation of the University Grants Commission, an important institution to supervise and advance the higher education in the nation. Azad mastered several languages, including Urdu, Persian, Bengali, Arabic, and Hindi. He was also trained in the subjects of mathematics, philosophy, world history and science by reputed tutors hired by his family. An avid and determined student, Azad succeeded in completing the traditional course of study at the young age of sixteen, nine years ahead of his contemporaries. As Indias Education Minister, Azad oversaw the establishment of a national education system with free primary education and modern institutions of higher education. He is also credited with the foundation of the University Grants Commission (UGC), an important institution to supervise and advance higher education in the nation. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, had on September 11, 2008 announced, The Ministry has decided to commemorate the birthday of this great son of India by recalling his contribution to the cause of education in India. November 11 every year, from 2008 onwards, will be celebrated as the National Education Day, without declaring it a holiday. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad served as the Minister of Education in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrus cabinet from 1947 to 1958. He died of a stroke on February 22, 1958. Maulana Azad had been appointed Indias first Minister for Education and served in the Constituent Assembly to draft Indias constitution. Azads persuasion was instrumental in obtaining the approval of Muslim representatives to end the communal electorates, and was a forceful advocate of enshrining the principle of secularism, religious freedom and equality for all Indians. He supported provisions for Muslim citizens to make avail of Muslim personal law in courts. [ As Indias first Minister of Education, he emphasized on educating the rural poor and girls. As Chairman of the Central Advisory Board of Education, he gave thrust to adult illiteracy, universal primary education, free and compulsory for all children up to the age of 14, girl’s education, and diversification of secondary education and vocational training. [17] Addressing the conference on All India Education on January 16, 1948, Maulana Azad emphasized,[17] â€Å"We must not for a moment forget, it is a birth right of every individual to receive at least the basic education without which he cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen. He oversaw the setting up of the Central Institute of Education,Delhi which later became the Department of Education of the University of Delhi as â€Å"a research centre for solving new educational problems of the country†. [18] Under his leadership, the Ministry of Education established the first Indian Institute of Technology in 1951 and the University Grants Commission in 1953. ,[19][20] He also laid emphasis on the develo pment of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and the Faculty of Technology of the Delhi University.