September 15 is the Day of Knowledge, a holiday for the multi-million educational community of Azerbaijan.

On September 15, a new academic year begins in all secondary schools and higher educational institutions of our country. Knowledge Day is celebrated in Azerbaijan as the beginning of a new academic year. Until 2004, the first day of school was September 1st. According to the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev "On the establishment of the "Day of Knowledge" in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the regulation of the working hours in educational institutions" dated August 21, 2004, the start of classes in all educational institutions was postponed to September 15, and thus this day was declared the Day of Knowledge in the country.

The current development of Azerbaijani education, thanks to the far-sighted and purposeful policy of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, dates back to the 70s of the last century. The global educational construction begun at that time became a solid basis for further development. In 1969-1982, the number of pre-school educational institutions increased from 1600 to 1875. The document signed by the National Leader on the free provision of textbooks to students in general education schools was a great contribution to Azerbaijani education. Heydar Aliyev always treated teachers with respect and highly appreciated their work. In the 70-80s, 5 new higher educational institutions were opened in the country. Another merit of the wise head of state in those years was sending Azerbaijani youth to study at the most prestigious universities of the former USSR. More than 15,000 young people have received higher education outside of Azerbaijan. The first military school named after Jamshid Nakhchivanski, established on the initiative of Heydar Aliyev, played the role of a base for training national military personnel in our country. After the national leader returned to power for the second time, a lot of work was done to develop science and education. Today, much attention is paid to the construction of schools and vocational education. Funds allocated for education from the budget are increasing every year. Every year, young people who get the highest scores at admission are given a presidential scholarship, and talented youth are given honorary scholarships. In 1993-2003, 6 new academies were established, and private higher education institutions were established.

The care of President Ilham Aliyev, the projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation testify to the successful continuation of the education policy, the foundation of which was laid by the great leader. In our country, state programs are being successfully implemented at all levels of the education system. One of the most successful measures taken in Azerbaijan in the field of education is the wide scope of school construction. Since 2003, more than two thousand new school buildings have been built in our country. The awarding of the "Best Secondary School" and "Best Teacher" awards by order of President Ilham Aliyev serves to raise the status of the school and the teacher. Within the framework of the “State Program for the Education of Youth in Prestigious Higher Educational Institutions of Foreign Countries”, our young people are sent to study at prestigious universities around the world.

During the years of leadership of the country, President Ilham Aliyev signed several important orders and decrees related to education. It should be noted that recently the state pays great attention to the development of education. This serves the recognition of Azerbaijan on a global scale. It is also necessary to note the exceptional merits in the modern development of education of the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation - Mehriban Aliyeva. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has gained great prestige in society thanks to its activities based on humanism, compassion, patriotism, and charity.

The main goal of the fund in the development of the education system in our country is to raise this area to a level that meets the basic requirements of our time, and to train highly qualified personnel.

On the eve of the new academic year, the visit of the head of our state Ilham Aliyev to newly built and overhauled educational institutions, getting acquainted with the progress of work, giving instructions and instructions is an indicator that the head of state always pays attention to this area, and this has a positive effect on the quality of work. Every year, the necessary measures are taken in the field of material and technical support of both general and higher educational institutions. Educational institutions that meet modern standards are equipped with the necessary equipment and inventory. All conditions have been created for the work of teachers and the education of students.

Over the past 20 years, up to 3,700 schools have been built and overhauled in Azerbaijan. Until the end of this year, the Ministry of Science and Education plans to build 61 schools, 30 of which are modular. Schools are mainly built and restored by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Baku City Executive Power, MİDA (State Housing Development Agency) and other institutions. It is planned to restore and rebuild more than 70 schools and return them to the education system in a usable condition.

Adaptation of the work of educational institutions, training programs to modern challenges, the formation of human resources in accordance with the modern labor market, are among the priorities of our state. As a result, the learning conditions of about a million students have improved, and the number of schools that use a one-shift system of education has significantly increased.

In resource-rich Azerbaijan, an important factor is the development of human capital through the efficient use of these same resources. Attention and care for the development of education is one of the main principles of the state policy of Azerbaijan.

Recommended literature:

1. Mərdanov, Misir Cumayıl oğlu. Azərbaycan təhsili dünən, bu gün, sabah / M. C. Mərdanov ; red. F. Qədirov. - Bakı : Təhsil, 2006. - 300 s.
2. Həmidov, Habil Ağanemət oğlu. Azərbaycanda təhsil siyasəti : mərhələli inkişaf və konseptual aspektlər: monoqrafiya / H. A. Həmidov ; elmi red. A. Bəşirov ; red. C. Alıyev ; AMEA Fəlsəfə, Sosiologiya və Hüquq İnstitutu. - Bakı : Təknur MMC, 2010. - 160 s.
3. Mərdanov, Misir Cumayıl oğlu. Azərbaycan təhsil tarixi / M. C. Mərdanov ; elmi red. F. A. Rüstəmov. I cild / elmi red. F. A. Rüstəmov. - Bakı : Təhsil, 2011. - 296 s.
4. Mərdanov, Misir Cumayıl oğlu. Azərbaycan təhsil tarixi / M. C. Mərdanov ; elmi red. F. A. Rüstəmov. II cild : 1920-1991-ci illər / red.: G. Ə. Mehdiyeva, L. İmaməliyeva. - Bakı : Təhsil, 2011. - 704 s.
5. Mərdanov, Misir Cumayıl oğlu. Azərbaycan təhsil tarixi / M. C. Mərdanov. III cild : Müstəqillik illəri / elmi red. F. Qədirov ; red.: G. Ə. Mehdiyeva, L. İmaməliyeva. - Bakı : Təhsil, 2011. - 672 s.
6. Mərdanov, Misir Cumayıl oğlu. Azərbaycan təhsil tarixi / M. C. Mərdanov. IV cild : Müstəqillik illərində ali təhsil / elmi red. F. Qədirov ; red.: G. Ə. Mehdiyeva, L. İmaməliyeva. - Bakı : Təhsil, 2012. - 912 s.
7. Mehrabov, Abdulla Oruc oğlu. Təhsilin modernləşdirilməsinin aktual problemləri : monoqrafiya / A. O. Mehrabov, A. N. Abbasov, M. C. Mahmudov ; elmi red.: Ə. M. Abbasov, H. H. Əhmədov, R. İ. Əliyev ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Təhsil Problemləri İnstitutu. - Bakı : Mütərcim, 2013. - 412 s.
8. Müasir təhsilə innovativ yanaşmalar : monoqrafiya / İ. H. Cəbrayılov [et al.] ; elmi red. A. N. Abbasov ; tərt. İ. H. Cəbrayılov ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Təhsil Nazirliyi, Azərbaycan Respublikası Təhsil Problemləri İnstitutu. - Bakı : Azərbaycan Respublikasının Təhsil Problemləri İnstitutunun Təhsil Texnologiyaları Mərkəzinin nəşriyyatı, 2016. - 250 s.
9. Müasir təhsilin nəzəri və praktik problemləri : monoqrafiya / Q. Novruzov [et al.] ; elmi red. A. N. Abbasov ; ön sözün müəl. Q. Novruzov ; tərt. İ. H. Cəbrayılov ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Təhsil Nazirliyi, Azərbaycan Respublikası Təhsil Problemləri İnstitutu. - Bakı : Şahin-MB MMC, 2016. - 250 s.
10. Azadəliyeva, Şiruyə. Azərbaycanda ali pedaqoji təhsilin təşəkkülü və inkişafı: 1920-1991-ci illər : monoqrafiya / Ş. Azadəliyeva ; elmi red. H. Əhmədov. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2012. - 368 s.
11. Təhsil tədqiqatları: nəzəri və praktik yanaşmalar : monoqrafiya / İ. Cəbrayılov, K. Mikayılova, Z. Muradova [et al.] ; elmi red., ön sözün müəl. İ. Cəbrayılov ; Azərbaycan Respublikasının Təhsil İnstitutu. - Bakı : Mütərcim, 2019. - 368 s.