Updated on: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be the chief guest at the National Education Day function being celebrated on November 11 to commemorate the birthday of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, an eminent educationist.
Director General of UNESCO Koichiro Matsuura will attend the function as guest of honour. Matsuura will be conferred with honorary D Litt on the occasion for his contribution in the field of education by National University for Educational Planning and Administration.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal will confer D Litt on Matsuura. The government has been observing November 11 as the National Educational Day since last year. Institutions across the country will organise several programmes to celebrate the occasion.
UNESCO will participate in the event as Maulana Azad was the president of its general assembly during his tenure as the first education minister of India. As the education minister, Azad had significant contribution in the establishment of a national education system with free primary education and modern institutions of higher education.