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 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. News 5 March 2014

    Montenegro: raising awareness on the need for Quality of Education

    In the framework of Unite for Quality Education campaign, the Independent Union of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Montenegro, ITUESCSM, is raising awareness the 10 key messages adopted by the ETUCE Committee on 24 October 2013 on ‘What is Needed to Improve the Quality of Education in Europe?’ through...

    Montenegro: raising awareness on the need for Quality of Education
  7. News 5 March 2014

    Romania: Roundtable on quality Education

    ALMA-MATER organised together with two other ETUCE Member Organisations in Romania, FSLE and FSI Spiru Haret, a roundtable with students and parents’ organisations to discuss quality education.

    Romania: Roundtable on quality Education
  8. News 5 March 2014

    Albania: teacher trade unions campaign for Quality of Education

    On 7 November 2013, the Congress of the Trade Union Federation of Education and Science of Albania - FSASH opened the way for deepening Albanian teacher unions’ involvement in the Unite for Quality Education campaign.

    Albania: teacher trade unions campaign for Quality of Education
  9. News 5 March 2014

    Bosnia and Herzegovina: trade unions speed up towards Quality Education, key for progress of the Bosnian society halting social unrest

    The Bosnian higher education and science trade union, HESUEBH, is struggling to raise public awareness on the need of all to access quality and free public education, as a fundamental determinant for every citizen.

    Bosnia and Herzegovina: trade unions speed up towards Quality Education, key for progress of the Bosnian society halting social unrest
  10. News 5 March 2014

    Latvia: a Protocol of Intent to strengthen the Alliance for Quality of Education

    On 19 December 2013, the Latvian Educational and Scientific Workers' Trade Union, LIZDA succeeded in establishing an open National Consultative Alliance “United for Quality Education” in response to the EI/ETUCE homonym Campaign.

    Latvia: a Protocol of Intent to strengthen the Alliance for Quality of Education
  11. News 5 March 2014

    Hungary: common trade union front for quality in education for all

    Against the background of troubled relations between Hungarian trade unions and the government of the country, the trade union of teachers, SEHUN, is willing to cooperate with the Hungarian trade unions in the education who signed the 10 key messages in the framework of the EI/ETUCE campaign Unite for Quality...

    Hungary: common trade union front for quality in education for all
  12. News 5 March 2014

    Iceland: the 10 key messages turned into a strategy for actions

    The Icelandic teachers’ union, KÍ, has transformed the 10 key messages adopted by the ETUCE Committee on ‘What is Needed to Improve the Quality of Education in Europe?’ to a core topic to be diffused and discussed at many occasions and to be addressed to all targets in society.

    Iceland: the 10 key messages turned into a strategy for actions
  13. News 5 March 2014

    Italy: trade unions in education on the move for Quality of Education

    Italian teachers trade union, such as FLC – CGIL, CISL Scuola and UIL Scuola, are eager to turn the 10 key messages adopted by the ETUCE Committee on ‘What is Needed to Improve the Quality of Education in Europe?’ to specific national recommendations for better Quality of Education.

    Italy: trade unions in education on the move for Quality of Education
  14. News 3 March 2014

    Online consultation for the next GMR is now open

    The 2015 Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report (GMR) will provide a definitive assessment of overall progress at the national, regional and global level toward the six EFA goals that were established in Dakar, Senegal, in 2000. EI strongly encourages its affiliates to participate in this consultation.

    Online consultation for the next GMR is now open
  15. News 3 March 2014

    Push education to top of youth priorities for post-2015 agenda!

    On 18 February, the President of the UN General Assembly, John William Ashe, launched a Global Partnership on Youth in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, facilitated by the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi. This will highlight youth priorities and give young people a chance to voice their own visions...

    Push education to top of youth priorities for post-2015 agenda!
  16. News 28 February 2014

    GPE approves new funding model for development and education

    EI has welcomed the decision by the Board of Directors of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to raise US$3.5 billion over four years from donor nations for the GPE Fund. This will provide indispensable support for basic education in developing countries for the period 2015-2018.

    GPE approves new funding model for development and education
  17. News 26 February 2014

    ETUCE urges to take action to restore the complete functioning of trade unions in Ukraine

    During the fights and clashes between demonstrators and police forces the Trade Union House in Kiev was completely destroyed by a fire. Today several hundred trade union workers remain without workplaces and all documents, furniture, office equipment etc. have been lost.

    ETUCE urges to take action to restore the complete functioning of trade unions in Ukraine