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Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4

In 2015, all countries committed to achieving 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Education International played a critical role in securing a stand-alone goal for education - Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4): Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Significantly, SDG4 recognised that quality education can only be delivered by qualified teachers.

However, at the current pace, governments will fail to achieve SDG 4. The COVID-19 pandemic poses additional challenges, and risks reversing years of progress on education. Urgent and decisive action is imperative.

Together with our member organisations around the world we are working to ensure that governments live up to their promise to achieve SDG 4 and all its targets by 2030.

  • We monitor progress and hold governments accountable.
  • We advocate for enhanced domestic financing for public education through fair and progressive taxation and international aid.
  • We oppose corporate interests that treat education as a market instead of a public good accessible to all.
  • We promote quality education that is free from violence, develops the “whole child”, builds tolerance, understanding, democracy, respect for human rights and active citizenship for sustainable development.
  • We promote the achievement of the “teacher target” (target 4.c), underlining every students’ right to be taught by a trained and qualified teacher.

Our work in this area

  1. News 1 September 2017

    UK: education unions merge to form new organisation

    The creation of a new education has become a reality in the UK following the amalgamation of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and the National Union of Teachers, creating the National Education Union.

    UK: education unions merge to form new organisation
  2. Worlds of Education 30 August 2017

    In Support of a Whole Child Movement

    Sean Slade

    Five years ago this summer, a group of 13 educators penned an opinion piece in the Huffington Post calling for a more humanistic approach to education. The article entitled In Support of the Whole Child, began by stating, We are at a crossroads in this nation regarding the direction that...

    In Support of a Whole Child Movement
  3. News 28 August 2017

    UK: with a new school year comes an increasing need for teachers

    Reports of a teacher shortage in Scotland as schools prepare to reopen their doors have prompted one of the United Kingdom’s education unions to urge the government to find a solution to a growing problem.

    UK: with a new school year comes an increasing need for teachers
  4. News 25 August 2017

    For-profit schools are cashing in on UN goals

    For-profit education, rather than free widespread access to quality public education, has so far been the beneficiary of Sustainable Development Goal 4 as countries work to fulfil its requirements.

    For-profit schools are cashing in on UN goals
  5. Worlds of Education 23 August 2017

    Unbundling ties: The long-term legacy of the crisis in education in Europe 

    Susan Flocken

    In response to the financial crisis of 2008, governments across Europe used public money to stabilize the system and bail out banks. Private sector activity and investment fell, and the public sector was often used for unilateral adjustments in view of reducing public debt and deficit level and to respect...

    Unbundling ties: The long-term legacy of the crisis in education in Europe 
  6. News 22 August 2017

    UK: A-Level results provide cover for problems plaguing education

    Following the release of A-Level results, UK teacher unions have highlighted the hard work and commitment of both students and their teachers despite a hastily reformed curriculum and funding cuts in education.

    UK: A-Level results provide cover for problems plaguing education
  7. News 21 August 2017

    Finland: government increases support for education of immigrant students and teachers

    The Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö teachers’ union have called for increased teacher training in order to deliver quality education to immigrant students following a government announcement to boost funding for immigrant students’ education and integration.

    Finland: government increases support for education of immigrant students and teachers
  8. Worlds of Education 17 August 2017

    Idiocy for All and the Rise of International Large Scale Educational Assessments

    Amy Marcetti Topper, Iveta Silova, Gustavo E. Fischman

    Almost any education-related topic seems to turn into an overheated debate, provoking very strong gut reactions and diminishing any hope for productive discussions that engage in careful analysis of contrasting perspectives and forms of evidence. This is certainly the case with International Large Scale Educational Assessments (ILSEAs), like PISA or...

    Idiocy for All and the Rise of International Large Scale Educational Assessments
  9. News 11 August 2017

    France: education unions hold government to task over commitment to living standards

    Through their trade union federations, French education unions are not letting public authorities forget their commitment ensuring that public servants a decent standard of living through the Protocol on Professional Pathways, Careers and Remuneration.

    France: education unions hold government to task over commitment to living standards
  10. Publications

    Spotlight: Cashing in on SDG 4

    Antonia Wulff
    9 August 2017

    Education International's Antonia Wulff explains that the Sustainable Development Goal 4 could be summarised as more education of a better quality for all, and that quality and equity must be at the centre of the 2030 Agenda.

    Spotlight: Cashing in on SDG 4
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  11. News 8 August 2017

    UK: student attainment gap must be narrowed to achieve quality education for all

    Education unions have reacted to the latest report into the progress made by the UK Government to narrow the student attainment gap, demanding that public authorities stop austerity measures and increase investment in the education system.

    UK: student attainment gap must be narrowed to achieve quality education for all
  12. News 7 August 2017

    Finland: education union welcomes new core curriculum in Early Childhood Education

    The education union Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö (OAJ) has expressed its satisfaction at the release of the Finnish National Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care 2016, which the union significantly contributed to.

    Finland: education union welcomes new core curriculum in Early Childhood Education
  13. News 2 August 2017

    UK: Increasing class sizes increase teachers’ workload

    In response to Labour Party figures showing that students are being taught in increasingly overloaded classes, UK education unions have urged the Government to act and improve students’ learning environments and teachers’ working conditions.

    UK: Increasing class sizes increase teachers’ workload
  14. Worlds of Education 2 August 2017

    A Long Way to Go: An Analysis of Inclusive Education for Disabled Girls Globally

    Tania Principe

    Disabled girls are among the most marginalised and poorly educated groups in the world. They have not been a priority in international development, education, or arguably, disability organisations.

    A Long Way to Go: An Analysis of Inclusive Education for Disabled Girls Globally