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 29 November 2024

    Education International's Executive Board meets to address key issues in education and set global priorities

    The Executive Board (ExBo) of Education International (EI) reaffirmed its commitment to quality inclusive public education, reiterated the importance of global solidarity, education for peace and climate change, and renewed its call to elevate the status of the teaching profession.

    Education International's Executive Board meets to address key issues in education and set global priorities
  2. News 26 November 2024

    Education International leaders reaffirm commitment to ending gender-based violence

    The Education International Executive Board joined the global mobilisation around the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The Education International leadership drew attention to various forms of gender-based violence, its causes and drivers, as well as the work and role of the education union movement in putting an end...

    Education International leaders reaffirm commitment to ending gender-based violence
  3. Worlds of Education 20 November 2024

    Organizing for a new treaty on free public education

    Bede Sheppard

    World Children’s Day is celebrated annually on 20 November. The date is auspicious for children’s rights as it coincides with the date on which the United Nations adopted both the Declaration on the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.

    Organizing for a new treaty on free public education
  4. Worlds of Education 16 November 2024

    Standing up for quality public education on International Students' Day

    Ruth Thornton, Shamna Abdul Kareem, Dilara Keven, Marina Mata, Mairead Howley

    International Students’ Day, celebrated on 17th November, has long been associated with student activism against human rights’ violations . This year we, a group of students and recent graduates, feel compelled to draw attention to the perilous position of the right to education worldwide – with public education underfunded and...

    Standing up for quality public education on International Students' Day
  5. News 14 November 2024

    Morocco: Education unionists celebrate progress and continue to mobilise for the Go Public! Fund Education campaign

    Education International member organisation the Fédération Nationale de l'Enseignement - Union Marocaine du Travail (FNE-UMT) continues its mobilisation for the Go Public! Fund Education campaign in Morocco. Having secured significant wins through social dialogue, the union has resolved to place the Go Public! campaign and the United Nations recommendations on...

    Morocco: Education unionists celebrate progress and continue to mobilise for the Go Public! Fund Education campaign
  6. News 7 November 2024

    Teachers mobilised to play their part in ending violence against children

    The first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children takes place in Bogota, Colombia on 7 and 8 November 2024. Education International is the voice of teachers in this critical meeting that brings together governments, children, young people, survivor, and civil society allies to unite behind a shared vision...

    Teachers mobilised to play their part in ending violence against children
  7. News 6 November 2024

    Go Public: Fund education through Tax Justice

    Every year, an estimated USD 480 billion is lost to tax abuse by multinational corporations and overly rich individuals. By addressing these international tax abuses and introducing progressive taxation, nations could increase tax-to-GDP ratios by five percentage points. Redirecting just 20 percent of recovered revenue could drastically expand educational access,...

    Go Public: Fund education through Tax Justice
  8. News 4 November 2024

    Global Education Monitoring Report 2024: Collaborative leadership in schools critical to quality education

    The Global Education Monitoring Report , “Leadership in Education” was launched on 31 October in Fortaleza, Brazil, during the UNESCO Global Education Meeting. It provides the latest data for monitoring Sustainable Development Goal 4 and reviews the evidence on leadership in the education sector. The report calls for school principals...

    Global Education Monitoring Report 2024: Collaborative leadership in schools critical to quality education
  9. News 31 October 2024

    Burundi: over 400 children return to school thanks to education union project against child labour

    404 children came back to school in September 2024 in the Gihanga commune of Burundi thanks to a project against child labour implemented by STEB, the Union of Education Workers of Burundi, with support from Education International, the Fair Childhood Foundation of GEW, AOb, and Mondiaal FNV.

    Burundi: over 400 children return to school thanks to education union project against child labour
  10. News 29 October 2024

    Unions resist the finance sector’s takeover of early childhood education and care

    If you are looking for detailed statistics, research, and quotes from around the world to illustrate the impact of increased privatisation and private equity penetration on the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector, and solutions for unions and allies, you will find some answers in recently launched “The Privatisation...

    Unions resist the finance sector’s takeover of early childhood education and care
  11. News 25 October 2024

    Albanian unions unite for increased investment in public education and educators

    Joining education unions from around the world, the Independent Trade Union of Education of Albania (SPASh-ITUEA) and the Trade Union Federation of Education and Science of Albania (FSASH) have committed to Education International's (EI) “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign. This initiative aims to increase public education funding and improve the...

    Albanian unions unite for increased investment in public education and educators
  12. News 24 October 2024

    Challenges and opportunities in early childhood education in Africa: A network for change

    At the first meeting of the Education International (EI) Early Childhood Education (ECE) Network, participants delved into the significant challenges facing early childhood education in Africa, with a particular focus on Ghana. The discussions highlighted issues of access and equality, the lack of robust ECE systems, curriculum and pedagogy challenges,...

    Challenges and opportunities in early childhood education in Africa: A network for change
  13. News 24 October 2024

    South Sudan: Commitment to education financing campaign spurs trade union growth

    The National Teachers Union of South Sudan (NTUSS) has embarked on a transformative journey with the launch of the Education International (EI) “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign. This initiative has significantly contributed to the union’s growth and development.

    South Sudan: Commitment to education financing campaign spurs trade union growth
  14. News 24 October 2024

    Democratic Republic of Congo: education unions join forces to call for greater investment in public education

    Education unions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have joined forces to promote public education and counter the privatisation of the education sector. Under the banner of the Education International (EI) campaign Go Public! Fund Education , they aim to improve the quality of public education and the status...

    Democratic Republic of Congo: education unions join forces to call for greater investment in public education
  15. News 24 October 2024

    Global Unions demand financial reforms to support public services and workers' rights

    Global union federations, including Education International, are calling for urgent reforms from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, urging these Internacional Financial Institutions to prioritise public investments and adopt policies that strengthen public services, labor rights, and social dialogue.

    Global Unions demand financial reforms to support public services and workers' rights
  16. News 17 October 2024

    Ethiopia: "Go Public! Fund Education" campaign launched

    In a significant step towards enhancing public education and the status of the teaching profession, the Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA) launched the Education International (EI) “Go Public! Fund Education!” campaign in conjunction with its 11th Quality Education Conference. This initiative, supported by EI Solidarity Fund, aimed to address the pressing...

    Ethiopia: "Go Public! Fund Education" campaign launched