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. Worlds of Education 30 November 2023

    Early childhood educators: New data on the challenges they face raises the alarm about an education sector at risk

    Isidora Vitorović

    Research by Education International reveals that early childhood education (ECE) personnel have been among the education workers whose employment conditions were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Preliminary findings of an ongoing research also identify this chronically underfunded sector as one of the most threatened by the global teacher shortage.

    Early childhood educators: New data on the challenges they face raises the alarm about an education sector at risk
  2. Worlds of Education 29 November 2023

    Invest in the future: Fund early childhood education

    Ezurike Chidubem Precious

    Based on my experience as a teacher in the sector, I can testify to the transformative power of quality early childhood education (ECE) for children. ECE goes beyond learning letters of the alphabet or numbers. Playing games and enjoying nature outdoors are equally important for children, nurturing creativity and building...

    Invest in the future: Fund early childhood education
  3. Worlds of Education 25 November 2023

    Education and schools are key to end gender-based violence

    Isma Benboulerbah

    According to the Violence Against Women & Girls Guide , developed by the World Bank, 818 million women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual partner violence or sexual violence by a non-partner. This is almost the total population of sub-Saharan Africa. On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence...

    Education and schools are key to end gender-based violence
  4. News 22 November 2023

    South African President Ramaphosa: Investing in education builds resilience in times of crises

    “It is a real privilege to address this 10th Africa Regional Conference of Education International, particularly with its focus on shaping the future of education on our continent, as well as beyond. And the theme of your conference, 'Standing together for resilient education systems in times of crises', resonates very...

    South African President Ramaphosa: Investing in education builds resilience in times of crises
  5. News 21 November 2023

    Decent work for early childhood education personnel: Where are we ten years after the adoption of the ILO Policy Guidelines?

    On November 30, Education International will host an online event to assess the progress made in implementing the ILO Policy Guidelines on decent work for early childhood education personnel and reflect on new developments in the sector. The discussion will be informed by the special edition of the I-BEST survey...

    Decent work for early childhood education personnel: Where are we ten years after the adoption of the ILO Policy Guidelines?
  6. Worlds of Education 16 November 2023

    Formative assessment: an opportunity to make progress on professionalisation

    Ana María Novo Borges

    In Uruguay, student learning at primary school level is assessed in different ways. Traditional summative practices coexist with practices aligned with the concept of formative assessment or the idea of assessing for learning. Academic freedom and solid teacher training in Uruguay – teachers are either graduates from official or accredited...

    Formative assessment: an opportunity to make progress on professionalisation
  7. News 30 October 2023

    New research informs union work to overcome copyright obstacles for teachers and teaching

    On September 28, the International Day for Universal Access to Information, Education International hosted an online event entitled Pathways to pedagogy: Overcoming copyright obstacles for teacher resource access. The event launched three new pieces of research commissioned by Education International on copyright regimes and their impact on education and educators...

    New research informs union work to overcome copyright obstacles for teachers and teaching
  8. Publications

    Teachers and technology

    Advocacy brief by Education International and the Global Education Monitoring Report
    19 October 2023

    The Global Education Monitoring Report and Education International have developed an advocacy brief for teachers based on the 2023 GEM Report, Technology in education: A tool on whose terms?

    Teachers and technology
    1. Download
  9. Research

    The Unintended Consequences of Artificial Intelligence and Education

    Wayne Holmes
    18 October 2023

    This report sets out to provide an analysis of the current state of artificial intelligence and education, including its potential benefits and risks, as well as the role of teachers and teacher trade unionists in ensuring that teaching with and about artificial intelligence is aligned with the principles of social...

    The Unintended Consequences of Artificial Intelligence and Education
    1. Research Paper
    2. Executive Summary
  10. Statements 11 October 2023

    Education International joins global call to invest in girls’ rights

    Statement on the International Day of the Girl Child - 11 October 2023

    October 11, the International Day of the Girl Child, is a day of mobilisation and action to advance the rights of girls around the world. Amid worrying developments that have undone decades of progress on girls’ rights, Education International joins allies from around the world in calling for governments and...

    Education International joins global call to invest in girls’ rights
  11. Worlds of Education 10 October 2023

    Teacher wellbeing – a global challenge

    Sinéad Mc Brearty

    The publication of this year’s International Barometer of Education Staff (I-BEST 2023) offers the unusual opportunity to hear directly from over 26,000 educators from around the world. Whilst the profile and context of the countries involved varies significantly, I am struck by how much commonality there is in the broad...

    Teacher wellbeing – a global challenge
  12. Worlds of Education 6 October 2023

    Addressing the overlooked plight of refugee teachers

    Becky Telford

    As we mark World Teachers Day 2023 , it is essential that we peel back the curtain on an issue that remains largely ignored: the plight of refugee teachers. Since 1994, we've come together every year to celebrate the remarkable contributions of teachers worldwide. But how often do we pause...

    Addressing the overlooked plight of refugee teachers
  13. Worlds of Education 4 October 2023

    Aloyo Stella's Classroom: a reflection on the education we want

    Susan Hopgood

    “Despite the terrible conditions, we continue to support our students because we know our work is critical for millions of the most vulnerable children around the world. But we cannot do it alone.” Aloyo Stella Oryang , refugee teacher.

    Aloyo Stella's Classroom: a reflection on the education we want
  14. News 4 October 2023

    World Teachers’ Day 2023: Growing teacher shortage puts the right to education at risk

    World Teachers’ Day is celebrated on October 5th every year. This year’s event is marked by increased global concern about the scale and impact of the teacher shortage around the world. According to UNESCO, the world needs 69 million more teachers by 2030 to achieve universal basic education yet current...

    World Teachers’ Day 2023: Growing teacher shortage puts the right to education at risk
  15. Worlds of Education 29 September 2023

    Copyright in education: bringing the classroom to life

    Dr Dara Dimitrov

    As the daughter of a refugee, education as a necessity was drummed into me. ‘You need to get a good education’ was my father’s lead mantra. My father was denied that right, and although he spoke seven languages, he could barely read one. My father saw education as a way...

    Copyright in education: bringing the classroom to life
  16. Research

    Access and Use of Teaching and Learning Materials from a Copyright Perspective in Kenya

    Catherine Nafuna Nandain, Charles Nandain
    28 September 2023

    This report presents the findings of a study conducted in Kenya, focusing on the access and use of teaching, and learning materials from a copyright perspective. The study aimed to identify the teaching materials used in class, strategies to access them, teacher’s knowledge of copyright laws, copyright-related challenges that teachers...

    Access and Use of Teaching and Learning Materials from a Copyright Perspective in Kenya
    1. Research findings
    2. Executive summary