- Borrowing
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Progress towards Goal 4 has been slow since 2015, with only 58 per cent of students worldwide achieving a minimum proficiency in reading by 2019. Recent assessments reveal a significant decline in math and reading scores in many countries, highlighting a set of factors beyond the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on global education.
Many countries face challenges such as inadequate education infrastructure, teacher shortages and insufficient teacher training. While technology has expanded educational opportunities, it has also widened inequalities, leaving millions of people, especially in marginalized and low-income communities, without access to education.
To meet national 2030 education targets, which have been scaled back compared to the original Goal 4 targets, countries must annually enrol 1.4 million children in early childhood education, admit a new child to school every two seconds until 2030 and triple annual progress in primary completion rates.
Accelerating progress could have a catalytic impact on achieving the overall 2030 Agenda. Prioritizing increased education funding, teacher training, and inclusive and accessible schools are essential steps, along with leveraging technology and bridging the digital divide to achieve equitable access to quality education.
| Target | Description |
|---|---|
| 4.1 |
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. |
| 4.2 |
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. |
| 4.3 |
By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university. |
| 4.4 |
By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. |
| 4.5 |
By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations. |
| 4.6 |
By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy. |
| 4.7 |
By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development |
| 4.8 |
Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. |
| 4.9 |
By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries. |
| 4.a |
By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States. |
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Here are some suggestions from The Global Goals for things you can do to engage with this goal.
Donate your used books.
The easiest way to give access to knowledge is to donate your used books to someone.
Promote and take free online courses.
In a digital world, there are more opportunities to get access to education than just go to university.
Visit your local school and ask what school supplies they need.
Start a school supply drive in your community.
Mentor young people.
You can provide tutoring and homework assistance, teach a language or deliver a lesson on the Global Goals.
