WORLD STUDENTS’ DAY ~ 15 October 2020

Birth Anniversary of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

On 15th October 1931, a small town called Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu witnessed the birth of a gracious little boy, just like any of us, but with incredible courage, a unique vision, and high hopes. And eventually, he went on to become an Aerospace Engineer at the much coveted ISRO and DRDO, and later on became India’s 11th President – Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam. Owing to his immense love for education and students, 15th of October is celebrated as World Students’ Day. 

Known as the ‘Missile Man of India’, Abdul Kalam was a prime example of what one should aspire to be in life. Be it as a scientist, the President of India, or even a simple human being, his life journey is a source of strength and inspiration to millions of people. On this occasion, we take a moment to remember and reflect on some of his most powerful words – 

“One of the important characteristics of a student is to question. Let the students ask questions”.

We retain about 75% of what we do, but only retain 5% of what we hear and about 10% of what we read. This is precisely why education, according to Abdul Kalam, must motivate the students to ask questions, not just in class, but throughout life. At VKE, our approach of IB coupled with Vedanta does exactly that. Through this, we provide students with an opportunity to explore a topic deeply and take ownership of their learning. Vedanta teaches us to question it, challenge it, and never just accept it. Linking this with the IB concept of a strong inquiry based learning is something that has been helping us bring out the best in our children and make them lifelong learners. Learning never stops. Education is a lifelong process and it is up to us to make the best out of it. This ‘World Students’ Day’, let us strive to live by Abdul Kalam’s golden words, never stop learning, have a closer look at things, question everything around you and in fact, inquire into your own self.