Education Day
There are a number of festivals and national holidays celebrated annually in Nepal to highlight education and its importance. One such holiday is the Education Day celebrated on Falgun 12th (late February). It also commemorates the late King Birendra‘s coronation address in 1975. In his coronation address to the nation, Late King Birendra underscored the importance of education for the development of the nation. Fresh from his return from the West, where he acquired modern education, Late King Birendra declared primary education free in that speech.
Mahendra Vidya Bhushan medals are conferred to achievers in the educational field on this day by the Head of the State. Mahendra Vidya Bhushan ‘A’ Class is conferred for achieving Doctorate in various subjects from various universities at home and abroad, while students securing highest marks in Masters level are decorated with class ‘B’ and those securing highest marks in Bachelor level are presented with class ‘C’. Mahendra Vidya Bhusan medals have been given away every year since 1960.
A second annual occasion addressing education is the festival Basanta Panchami that is celebrated in Maagh of each year.
