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National Education Day is observed on 11 November every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of the first education minister of India - Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad. This day is commemorated by spreading awareness of the importance of education in one’s life and why it is critical to educate all. Education is a fundamental right and is significant at all stages of life for all. However, some do not have access to this due to numerous reasons. Some face financial obstacles, whereas some do not have access to schools and colleges. One in eight students drop out of college every year in India due to these reasons which make it an enormous task for the government. This is where educational NGOs step in. The role of NGO in education is to be a facilitator, catalyst, or partner in bringing social transformation. They also create a bridge for meritorious and underprivileged students to complete their higher education.

Importance of higher education

Higher education makes a stepping stone for students to be empowered and independent citizens of a nation. With each student who graduates, the nation grows in all aspects. This is because the youth accounts for the majority of the population of the country and every decision and move made by them affects the growth of a country. This National Education Day, do a noble deed by opting to donate to NGO working in the education sector to help a student soar high and accomplish all that they dream of.

Educational NGOs aim to ensure all students in the nation receive the education they are rightfully entitled to without any roadblocks. Among the 3 million NGOs in India, there are approximately 60,000 NGOs dedicated to the education sector.

What is Vidya Chetana?

Vidya Chetana is an NGO registered under Youth for Seva and dedicated to providing financial assistance to underprivileged students. They do this by providing scholarships on a need basis. They support higher education of students which includes their PUC (10+2), Degree, Engineering, and Medical studies. Having supported the education of 5,775 students, one such success story is of Sahana who secured placement in IBM, Bangalore. Read on to know her story.

Sahana was a passionate and ambitious student from an underprivileged family. She lived with her sibling and parents. Her mother was the sole earning member of the family as her father had been bedridden for six years. Despite coming from such a socio-economic backward environment, she continued to aim at completing her BTech from Presidency University, Bangalore. Facing numerous financial roadblocks, she decided to approach Vidya Chetana. True to her belief, they helped her complete the BTech and she also secured a job with IBM, in Bangalore, India. She is thankful to the team at Vidya Chetana for providing aid for the completion of her engineering course.

Apart from providing financial assistance, the role of NGO in education such as Vidya Chetana also includes the overall development of students through counselling, guidance, and skill development workshops. All these benefits exist under the Beyond Scholarship Programme of Vidya Chetana which grants students access to the following benefits:

●       Career counselling

●       Life skill sessions

●      Motivational talks

●      21st-century skills sessions

●      Employability Readiness Programme

It is the role of NGO in education to ensure the overall growth and progress of their students. This is possible with integrated programmes within the organisation that prepares them for the real world along with generous contributions from donors that allow them to keep the programmes running successfully. Opting to donate to NGO is the ideal way to commemorate National Education Day. Support Vidya Chetana and fulfil your responsibility.

Conclusion:

To conclude, this National Education Day, let’s take it as our duty to fulfil our social responsibility and donate to NGO working in the education sector. Contribute towards education to help a generation grow into independent and wise citizens of the nation.

Author Profile: 

Vidya Chetana Scholarship Program is an initiative of Youth for Seva to support the higher education of socio-economically underprivileged students. Your support will help students wanting to pursue PUC (Intermediate), Degree, Engineering, and Medical Courses. Your contribution towards the Scholarship Program will help students continue their education as well as qualify you to receive tax exemption on your donated amount (₹500 & above).