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 12 July 2013

    When I say "Education", you say "First"!

    Today, on Malala Day, 550 Youth Delegates prepare to take over the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York to demand equitable quality education for all.

    When I say "Education", you say "First"!
  2. News 5 July 2013

    Zimbabwe: Government to pay relocation expenses to higher education teachers

    The College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe (COLAZ), one of EI’s national affiliates, has commented on the payment ordered by a court of US$5.3 million by the Government to 18 discretionarily transferred lecturers. COLAZ represented the latter in Court.

    Zimbabwe: Government to pay relocation expenses to higher education teachers
  3. News 4 July 2013

    France: 10,000 new teaching assistant jobs announced

    The Syndicat national des enseignements de second degré (SNES-FSU) and the Syndicat des enseignants (SE-UNSA) affiliated to the Union nationale des syndicats autonomes-Education (UNSA-Education) welcomed Education Minister Vincent Peillon’s announcement that 10,000 additional staff are to be taken on “specifically for secondary schools” under subsidised contracts on top of the...

    France: 10,000 new teaching assistant jobs announced
  4. News 2 July 2013

    USA: NEA to help make lesson plans available

    EI’s largest affiliate, the National Education Association (NEA) in the United States has announced an initiative, the NEA Master Teacher Project, to fund the redesign and expansion of BetterLesson's site and pay 95 math and English language arts teachers selected by an intense vetting process $15,000 to record and share...

    USA: NEA to help make lesson plans available
  5. News 2 July 2013

    Australia: educators demand quick finalisation of Gonski funding negotiations

    On 28 June, the Australian Education Union (AEU), EI’s largest Australian affiliate, called on all political leaders to act in a spirit of bipartisanship and finalise agreements on the implementation of the Gonski Report on investment in education within the next two weeks.

    Australia: educators demand quick finalisation of Gonski funding negotiations
  6. News 1 July 2013

    Progress in access to primary education, says 2013 MDGs Report

    The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. This report features a collection of key MDG statistics for each Goal and analysis to be utilised across the UN system in the lead-up to the September special event on MDGs.

    Progress in access to primary education, says 2013 MDGs Report
  7. News 28 June 2013

    Canada: Senate puts anti-trade union Bill C-377 on hold

    The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF), one of EI’s national affiliates, has welcomed the fact that the Conservative-dominated Senate has blocked Bill C-377. This Bill aimed to force unions to disclose all payments worth C$5,000 or more being made to outside groups or individuals. It also sought to force unions to...

    Canada: Senate puts anti-trade union Bill C-377 on hold
  8. News 25 June 2013

    OECD report is a ‘wake-up’ call for policy makers

    EI deplores the reductions in governments’ expenditure on education and cuts in teachers’ salaries and increases in their working time which are reflected in the latest OECD statistics published today.

    OECD report is a ‘wake-up’ call for policy makers
  9. News 24 June 2013

    Brazil: CNTE shows solidarity with protests but rejects violence

    Since June 12, Brazil has seen numerous protests, mostly organised by young people, which began after the announcement of an increase in the price of public transportation in cities across the country. However, the scope of the demonstrations shows that public transportation is just one of the protesters’ concerns.

    Brazil: CNTE shows solidarity with protests but rejects violence
  10. News 20 June 2013

    EI calls for universal quality education for sustainable development

    In her presentation at the 4th Session of the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development, held in New York 17-19 June, EI coordinator Antonia Wulff argued for equity and quality in education as preconditions for a successful sustainable development framework.

    EI calls for universal quality education for sustainable development
  11. News 20 June 2013

    G8 tackles tax, but fails to mention education

    Government leaders came together this week at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland to make progress on issues such as trade agreements, tax systems, and transparency. Yet, despite reiterated commitments to reducing poverty and promoting growth and jobs as top priorities, EI deplores that education´s core role in tackling these...

    G8 tackles tax, but fails to mention education
  12. News 17 June 2013

    Portugal: Teachers hold anti-cuts demo in Lisbon

    Thousands of Portuguese teachers held a protest against the government’s new policies for public schools on 15 June in Lisbon. This demonstration is part of the industrial action plan proposed by all teacher unions against the government’s decision to cut spending in the education sector.

    Portugal: Teachers hold anti-cuts demo in Lisbon