Sustainable Development Goal 4
Developing the introduction
Overall Aim of Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education
Sustainable Development Goal 4 is the education goal that aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” SDG 4 is defined of 10 Targets and 11 Indicators. Below is the list of the Targets which specify the goals of SDG 4.
Target 4.1: Free primary and secondary education
Target 4.2: Equal access to quality pre-primary education
Target 4.3: Equal access to affordable technical, vocational, and higher education
Target 4.4: Increase the number of people with relevant skills for financial success
Target 4.5: Eliminate all discrimination in education
Target 4.6: Universal literacy and numeracy
Target 4.7: Education for sustainable development and global citizenship
Target 4.A: Build and upgrade inclusive and safe schools
Target 4.B: Expand higher education scholarships for developing countries
Target 4.C: Increase the supply of qualified teachers in developing countries
There are other SDGs with direct reference to education. Those SDGs are: SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 3 (Good health and well-being) SDG 5 (Gender equality), SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure) and SDG 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions). Achieving SDG 4 will help to achieve these goals as well.
Why is it important for educational community?
Education provides the means to transmit knowledge, values, and skills across generations, enabling societies to set the foundation for thriving in the future. Despite a number of actions undertaken at all levels, public awareness of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs appear to remain still relatively modest, especially at the grassroots and community level. Awareness and communications strategies sometimes suffer from the lack of sustainable and sufficient institutional and financial resources. There is a need to step up awareness-raising activities in the next phase of implementation. Fostering sustainable and long-term behavior change with the younger generations including through integrating SDGs into education curricula, is important. |
Key dimensions of Sustainable Development 4 Quality Education
The interplay between Sustainable Development Goal 4 Quality Education and the acquisition of 21st century skills
21st Century skills are 12 abilities that today’s students need to succeed in their careers during the Information Age. These skills are intended to help students keep up with the lightning pace of today’s modern markets.
The twelve 21st Century skills are:
- Critical thinking
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Information literacy
- Media literacy
- Technology literacy
- Flexibility
- Leadership
- Initiative
- Productivity
- Social skills
Each skill is unique in how it helps students, but they all have one quality in common and are essential in the age of the Internet.
Each 21st Century skill is broken into one of three categories:
Learning skills
Literacy skills
Life skills
Learning skills (the four C’s) teaches students about the mental processes required to adapt and improve upon a modern work environment.
Literacy skills (IMT) focuses on how students can discern facts, publishing outlets, and the technology behind them. There’s a strong focus on determining trustworthy sources and factual information to separate it from the misinformation that floods the Internet.
Life skills (FLIPS) take a look at intangible elements of a student’s everyday life. These intangibles focus on both personal and professional qualities.
Altogether, these categories cover all 12 21st Century skills that contribute to a student’s future career.
