Nurturing Children & Transforming them into Knowledgeable Human Resources in Developing Countries: Dire Need of the Day.
On the Occasion of International Children’s Day, 2022
By Laasya Padmaraju
New Delhi, November 18, 2022
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India used to celebrate children’s day on 20th November every year, as the United Nations (UN) declared 20th November as “Universal Children’s Day” in 1954 to promote awareness and international togetherness among children and improve the well-being of children across the world.
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In 1964, after the death of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji, parliament unanimously took a resolution to honor him and declared his birth anniversary a Children’s Day officially.
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UNESCO launched “State of the Education Report for India: No teacher, No Class” in connection with World Teachers Day on October 05, 2021.
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The National Educational Policy (NEP 2020) was initiated to usher the sweeping changes in the educational system of India.
Children’s day is celebrated on 14th November every year in India in commemorating the birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji (known as 'Chacha Nehru'), the first Prime Minister of India. The nation usually celebrates Children’s Day, which purports to tribute to Nehru Ji and to enhance the awareness of children of their rights, education, facilities, and protection across India with educational and motivational programs as children are the real strength of the nation and future human resources of the country.
India used to celebrate children’s day on 20th November every year, as the United Nations (UN) declared 20th November as “Universal Children’s Day” in 1954 to promote awareness, and international togetherness among children and improve the well-being of children across the world. It’s the date when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Consequent to this UN declaration, India used to observe the 20th of November every year. In 1964, after the death of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji, parliament unanimously took a resolution to honor him and declared his birth anniversary a Children’s Day officially. Since then India celebrating 14th November as a children’s day to commemorate Pandit Nehru’s birth anniversary every year.
Nurturing Children: Dire need of the day
Today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens of India. Children are the foundation for the bright future of the country. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru jihad has a great vision to provide a congenial environment for the overall development and future of the children, hence, the country can have a bright future with young and brilliant young human resources. He considers the children as the real source of the future strength of our country and for a good society.
As Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru aptly quoted -
“Children are like buds in a garden and should be carefully and lovingly nurtured as they are the nation's future and tomorrow's citizens. The way we bring them up will determine the future of the country. Only through the right education can a better order of society be buildup”.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has dedicated his life to ensuring children's fundamental right to education and focused on establishing educational institutions to render quality education. Education is the first step for people to gain knowledge, critical thinking, empowerment, and skills to make this world better.
Nelson Mandela aptly said,
"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”. Children are the most potential resource and citizens of the country, to have a better life, they must be nurtured from their childhood. They should be nurtured with good education, environment, and good health.
School Education System in India
The education system in India is often cited as one of the main contributors to economic development. The prosperity of any nation ultimately depends upon the quality of the country's education system. Therefore, a good quality education system is in dire need of the day for the prospects of our children and our country as well. Education is a prime factor for economic development in India. Education is a powerful and vital weapon for children to mold them into good and knowledgeable citizens.
The main recommendations of the Kothari Committee (1966) were universal primary education. It leads to the introduction of a new pattern of education, three language formulas, the introduction of regional language in higher education, the development of agricultural and industrial education, and adult education. To meet the changing socio-economic needs of the country, the Government of India announced a new National Policy on Education in 1986. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) at the National level and the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) at the State level were established to maintain the standard of education. University Grants Commission (UGC) was instituted to determine the standard of higher education. According to the 93rd Amendment, education for all has been made compulsory. Elementary education is a fundamental right of all children in the age group of 6-14 years. To fulfill this obligation Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has been launched. The National Educational Policy (NEP 2020) was initiated to usher the sweeping changes in the educational system of India.
UNESCO launched “State of the Education Report for India: No teacher, No Class” in connection with World Teachers Day on October 05, 2021, wherein Eric Falt, Director, UNESCO, New Delhi stated that…
“India has made enormous strides in the education sector in the past decades and teachers have been integral, in this progress. The National Education Policy 2020 recognizes and identifies teachers as the heart of the learning process, and that is why we decided to dedicate the 3rd edition of our State of the Education Report for India, to them. Without teachers, there can be no class”.