Ei-iE

AP / vide
AP / vide

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 April 2014

    OECD report highlights the importance of creative problem-solving skills

    The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) argues that in modern societies, all of life is problem-solving. Changes in society, the environment, and in technology mean that the content of applicable knowledge evolves rapidly. Adapting, learning, daring to try out new things and always being ready to learn from...

    OECD report highlights the importance of creative problem-solving skills
  2. News 25 March 2014

    Nigeria: Education union opposes competency test for teachers

    The National President of EI national affiliate the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Michael Olukoya, has criticised the competency test for teachers introduced in Edo State as a scheme “to eliminate teachers”.

    Nigeria: Education union opposes competency test for teachers
  3. News 25 March 2014

    UK: Unions oppose changes to Ofsted inspection system

    The Association of Teachers and Lecturer's (ATL), the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT), all three affiliated to EI, have expressed their opposition to the changes to the Ofsted inspection system. The changes were announced on 21 March by the...

    UK: Unions oppose changes to Ofsted inspection system
  4. News 25 March 2014

    Publication des résultats du Projet TIC

    Les résultats du projet du CSEE intitulé «Les syndicats d’enseignants luttent contre l’abandon scolaire prématuré par l’utilisation des Technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) dans l’éducation » ont été diffusés la semaine dernière.

    Publication des résultats du Projet TIC
  5. News 25 March 2014

    New film from the Council of Europe

    The Council of Europe has just made an new film explaining its work, promoting and defending human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

    New film from the Council of Europe
  6. News 25 March 2014

    Iceland: Strike over better conditions for teachers

    Following on the failure of negotiations on a new collective agreement for secondary school teachers, EI’s national affiliate, the Kennarasamband Islands (KI), called on its members, upper secondary teachers employed by the state, to go on strike on 17 March.

    Iceland: Strike over better conditions for teachers
  7. News 19 March 2014

    EI celebrates International Day of La Francophonie

    On the International Day of La Francophonie, celebrated on 20 March each year, Education International has highlighted the importance the French-speaking community attaches to quality education as basis for a sustainable, peaceful and prosperous future.

    EI celebrates International Day of La Francophonie
  8. News 18 March 2014

    Zambia: Quality ECE at heart of union’s work

    The Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT), affiliated to EI, organised a multipartite workshop in Lusaka from 27-30 January to develop the union’s policy and strategy for the provision of quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) services in Zambia.

    Zambia: Quality ECE at heart of union’s work
  9. News 17 March 2014

    Deadline extended for nominations for education award

    The deadline for nominations from the educational community for the 2014 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education has been extended to 21 March. EI encourages affiliates and partners to send in nominations before the new deadline.

    Deadline extended for nominations for education award
  10. News 11 March 2014

    European elections 2014: Time has come to engage your candidates to pledge to Quality Education

    In the framework of the IE/ETUCE initiative “Unite for Quality Education - Better Education for a Better World”, ETUCE has launched a new large-scale campaign initiative called “Candidates pledge to Quality Education”. This initiative aims to seek the support from candidates to the European Parliament elections who share ETUCE’s view...

    European elections 2014: Time has come to engage your candidates to pledge to Quality Education
  11. News 11 March 2014

    Greece: education unionists face down police violence

    On 28 February, the Greek Federation of Secondary State School Teachers (OLME), one of EI’s national affiliates, organised a demonstration in Athens against the proposed dismissal of 12,500 education workers by 22 March. This demonstration took place at the same time as the Troika’s representatives were discussing permanent teachers and...

    Greece: education unionists face down police violence
  12. News 7 March 2014

    UK: campaigning to defend education and protect teachers

    NUT – the National Union of Teachers in the UK is preparing its action of last resort in the framework of the campaign “Stand up for education”. After having engaged in talks with parents and public, in pressures to the politicians, NUT has called for a day of national strike...

    UK: campaigning to defend education and protect teachers
  13. News 5 March 2014

    Ireland: No Quality without Gender Equality

    The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has taken important steps on the path to Quality of Education for all. With a view to ensure “supportive and safe environments for teaching and learning that are gender sensitive and completely free of discrimination”, which is one of the 10 key messages...

    Ireland: No Quality without Gender Equality
  14. News 5 March 2014

    Norway: Trade Union of Education campaigns for Quality teaching

    The Union of Education Norway (UEN) is connecting its activities to the 10 key messages adopted by the ETUCE Committee on ‘What is needed to improve the Quality of Education in Europe?’, aiming at securing quality education for all and quality for the teaching profession worldwide.

    Norway: Trade Union of Education campaigns for Quality teaching