Education is the most vital sustainable development goals (SDGs). Education is the key to every one of the 17 sustainable development goals, it has a unique power to catalyze gains in other areas.A quality education is the foundation of sustainable development, and therefore of the Sustainable Development Goals. As a policy intervention, education is a force multiplier which enables self-reliance, boosts economic growth by enhancing skills, and improves people’s lives by opening up opportunities for better livelihoods.(UN India 2015)
The Sustainable Development targets for 2030 call for ensuring the completion of primary and secondary education by all boys and girls, and guaranteeing equal access to opportunities for access to quality technical and vocational education for everyone. Policy interventions will require improving access and improving quality, as well addressing relevant obstacles which include gender inequalities, food insecurity, and armed conflict.
Why Education is the most important
A child born to a literate mother is 50% more likely to survive past the age of five than a child born to an illiterate mother. If all children received a basic primary education 700,000 cases of HIV in young adults could be prevented each year, according to the Global Partnership for Education.
“An extra year at school can increase a woman’s earnings by up to 20%. In the most challenging contexts, a safe place to play and learn can literally save a child’s life ( Kolleen 2014)
“It can provide life-saving information – including how to protect themselves from sexual abuse, landmine awareness, hand-washing and other survival skills necessary in the specific context. But it can also give the hope of a good future and give them an alternative to such practices as child labour and child marriage.”
Goal 4 quality education for all has 10 separate targets
The goals have not been adopted yet and the targets of the goals are subject to change. In some cases, countries have not agreed on specific figures, so this has been indicated with the letter X.
- Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education
- Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education
- Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
- Increase by X% the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment and entrepreneurship
- 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
- Ensure that all youth and at least X% of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
- Ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including 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
- Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
- By 2020 expand by X% globally the number of scholarships for developing countries
Increase by X% the supply of qualified teachers, including t