Ei-iE

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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 20 November 2013

    EI progress in promoting quality early childhood education

    With the support of its global Task Force on early childhood education (ECE), EI has taken strides to promote quality ECE and better conditions of work for early childhood personnel.

    EI progress in promoting quality early childhood education
  2. News 14 November 2013

    Georgia: national campaign for quality education

    The Educators and Scientists’ Free Trade Union of Georgia (ESFTUG), one of EI’s national affiliates, launched on 5 October, World Teachers’ Day, a teacher-led campaign for quality education entitled Preserve the Past, Spotlight on Present for Better Future. The trade union linked its campaign aiming at raising the Georgian teachers’...

    Georgia: national campaign for quality education
  3. 13 November 2013

    Education International’s statement at the 37th General Conference of UNESCO-Paris, 11 November 2013

    Madam Director-General, Madam Chair of the Executive Board, Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Education International is pleased to join UNESCO and its member states in debating and defining the future of education. As the UN’s lead agency for education, science and culture, UNESCO is strategically positioned to promote and champion...

    Education International’s statement at the 37th General Conference of UNESCO-Paris, 11 November 2013
  4. News 12 November 2013

    Keep quality education at the top of global agenda, says EI

    In his statement at the 37th General Conference of UNESCO, held in Paris, France, EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen has called for a renewed commitment for universal free quality education to be at the centre of the new global development agenda.

    Keep quality education at the top of global agenda, says EI
  5. News 8 November 2013

    Miscellaneous news

    Other related news on EU issues

    Miscellaneous news
  6. News 8 November 2013

    Big business still in charge of the advisory groups of the European Commission

    On 6 November 2013, ALTER-EU, AK EUROPA and ÖGB Europabüro released a report showing that still mostly the big business dominate the advisory groups of the European Commission despite the promise given over a year ago to reform the groups.

    Big business still in charge of the advisory groups of the European Commission
  7. News 8 November 2013

    Next ESF supports ICT education

    On 24- 25 October, the European Council concluded that the European Structural Investment Funds (ESF) for 2014 -2020 should be used in part for ICT education and training. EU Heads of State and Government decided that Europe must boost digital, data-driven innovation as part of its growth strategy.

    Next ESF supports ICT education
  8. News 8 November 2013

    ETUCE Final Conference on ICT, Bratislava

    The ICT&ESL Final Conference ‘Teacher Trade Unions Preventing Early School Leaving through the Use of Information and Communication Technology in Education’,will be held in Bratislava on 28-29 November 2013.

    ETUCE Final Conference on ICT, Bratislava
  9. News 8 November 2013

    ETUCE Final Conference on the Teaching Profession, Berlin

    The Final conference of the ETUCE project: “The development of the teaching profession in times of the economic crisis as a key task for social partners in education. Finding joint strategies to tighten the links between education and the labour market.” is to be held in Berlin on 13-14 November...

    ETUCE Final Conference on the Teaching Profession, Berlin
  10. News 8 November 2013

    Romania: Thousands of teachers marching through Bucharest for better wages

    On Wednesday, 6th November 2013, more than 10,000 Romanian teachers affiliated with FSLE (ETUCE MO) marched through Bucharest to demand better wages and working conditions and an end to political interference in education. Teachers whistled, held banners and yelled: “Solidarity!”, “Without education, any nation would die!”.

    Romania: Thousands of teachers marching through Bucharest for better wages
  11. News 8 November 2013

    Romania: Teachers strike for better working and living conditions

    Ten thousand teachers affiliated to the Fédération des syndicats libres de l’enseignement (FSLE), one of EI’s national affiliates, marched through Bucharest on 6 November. They were demanding better wages and working conditions and an end to political interference in education.

    Romania: Teachers strike for better working and living conditions
  12. News 7 November 2013

    Argentinian teachers in solidarity with Greece

    The President OLME, one of EI’s Greek affiliates, Kotsifakis Themistoklis, met the Executive Board of the Argentinian teachers’ union CTERA in October. The delegation was led by Stella Maldonado, CTERA’s General Secretary and a member of EI’s Executive Board.

    Argentinian teachers in solidarity with Greece
  13. News 7 November 2013

    Cameroon: investing in education and teachers

    The National Autonomous Union of Secondary School Teachers (SNAES), a member of the Federation of Education and Research Unions (FESER) affiliated to EI, called attention to the need for quality teachers.

    Cameroon: investing in education and teachers
  14. News 7 November 2013

    Japan: Ending tuition exemption a ‘bad decision’

    EI has branded as a “bad decision” Japan’s move to introduce an income cap for its tuition-free programme for public high schools during the 2014 fiscal year. This “will destroy an education policy that has taken root after three years and is supported by parents and educators,” said EI’s Chief...

    Japan: Ending tuition exemption a ‘bad decision’
  15. News 4 November 2013

    Latin America: calling for free and universal early childhood education

    EI’s Latin American Regional Office has taken steps to consolidate trade union work in early childhood education. A meeting of member organisations was convened to analyse, plan and unify trade union action in this field in Santiago, Chile, on 28 and 29 October 2013.

    Latin America: calling for free and universal early childhood education
  16. News 30 October 2013

    Latvia: Educators’ action for better wages

    The Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Employees (LIZDA) has organised a warning strike in front of the National Parliament building in Riga to show their rejection of the government’s budget proposal on the minimum teachers’ salary.

    Latvia: Educators’ action for better wages