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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. Worlds of Education 16 February 2023

    Haiti: Society and education communities in the grip of chaos

    Georges Wilbert Franck

    After the earthquake of 12 January 2010, that marked a painful turning point in the history of the Haitian people, the Republic of Haiti has experienced a succession of crises due to both natural and man-made disasters.

    Haiti: Society and education communities in the grip of chaos
  2. Worlds of Education 15 February 2023

    Overwhelmed, undervalued, and underpaid: Governments must act to support teachers in contexts of displacement

    Stella Oryang Aloyo

    Working as a teacher in an emergency situation is challenging but it can also be very rewarding. The opportunity to be a positive influence on my students, watching a student learn, grow and become a good person, knowing that I can be part of this process gives me a wonderful...

    Overwhelmed, undervalued, and underpaid: Governments must act to support teachers in contexts of displacement
  3. Worlds of Education 14 February 2023

    Education in Lebanon – a crisis with no end in sight

    Manal Hdaife

    Year after year, Lebanese people cannot live in peace, security, and prosperity, as crises overwhelm them, destroying everything except the hope for a better tomorrow.

    Education in Lebanon – a crisis with no end in sight
  4. Worlds of Education 13 February 2023

    The unseen struggle and challenges of Afghan teachers

    Fazel Ahmad

    During the last four decades, Afghanistan has witnessed a series of destructive wars, and it is a fact that war causes deaths, destroys infrastructures, and severely impacts various aspects of people's lives. Throughout these times, Afghan teachers have always served the youth of the country, with honesty and dedication.

    The unseen struggle and challenges of Afghan teachers
  5. Worlds of Education 3 February 2023

    We are education! Successful trade union strategies in Mexico

    Alfonso Cepeda Salas

    The Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) is one of the biggest education unions in the world. It currently represents more than 1.5 million active members at all levels of education and 700,000 retired teachers. Its mission is to defend public education and protect the rights of education...

    We are education! Successful trade union strategies in Mexico
  6. News 31 January 2023

    UK: Educators deserve a pay rise now!

    Education International and member organisations fully support the National Education Union (NEU), organising a one-day strike in England and Wales on February 1st to demand a fully funded, above inflation pay rise for educators.

    UK: Educators deserve a pay rise now!
  7. News 31 January 2023

    Israel/Palestine: Educators planting the seeds of hope

    During a four-day solidarity mission to Israel and Palestine, elected leaders of Education International (EI) and the US National Education Association (NEA) leaders met with governmental authorities, trade union activists, UN agencies and teachers. They also welcomed the agreement on the timely payment and increase of Palestinian educators’ salaries.

    Israel/Palestine: Educators planting the seeds of hope
  8. News 23 January 2023

    Go public! Fund Education: Education International launches new global campaign

    On 24 January 2023, International Day of Education, Education International is launching a new global campaign to fund public education and the teaching profession. The campaign Go public! Fund Education will support Education International´s member organisations in their fight against budget cuts, austerity, and privatisation, and as they mobilise to...

    Go public! Fund Education: Education International launches new global campaign
  9. News 23 January 2023

    Morocco: unions and government sign agreement on unified status for teachers

    Social dialogue has led to the signing of an agreement between the Moroccan government and education unions on issues such as a unified employment status for national education employees. This new status will replace all pre-existing employment arrangements, which means a fresh start for all, contract teachers included, based on...

    Morocco: unions and government sign agreement on unified status for teachers
  10. Worlds of Education 23 January 2023

    Uruguay: The importance of a global campaign to defend public education

    José Olivera

    Latin America is the most unequal region in the world, with one of the highest rates of wealth concentration and the associated poverty and marginalisation affecting the majority of the region’s population. It also suffers from unequal income distribution, be it direct, through active or passive income, or indirect, through...

    Uruguay: The importance of a global campaign to defend public education
  11. News 23 January 2023

    Education unionists take stock of development cooperation in Asia-Pacific

    During a Development Cooperation (DC) Café on Asia-Pacific held on 12 January, DC partners learnt about the accomplishments in the region in partnership with member organisations. Anand Singh, Director of the Education International Asia-Pacific (EIAP) regional office, reported on priorities and challenges faced by the region as well as activities...

    Education unionists take stock of development cooperation in Asia-Pacific
  12. Worlds of Education 23 January 2023

    Senegal: Strong action needed for inclusive quality public education

    Marième Sakho Dansokho

    Is Senegal, the good student, cited as an example, a giant with feet of clay? With 25% of its budget allocated to education, i.e. more than 6% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), significant efforts are certainly being made, but for what result? There are more than 1,500,000 children out...

    Senegal: Strong action needed for inclusive quality public education
  13. Worlds of Education 11 January 2023

    Transforming education: what role will be given to textbooks and under what conditions?

    Roger Kaffo Fokou

    On 16, 17 and 19 September 2022, the World Summit on the Transformation of Education was held in New York. Its aim was to find a suitable response to the education crisis. At stake, and beyond the challenge of equity and equality, is the adaptation of education systems to their...

    Transforming education: what role will be given to textbooks and under what conditions?
  14. News 22 December 2022

    Let´s make 2023 a year of renewed solidarity for education around the world

    As 2022 comes to a close, we look back on a year of challenges, but also a year of solidarity and hope as we continue to work together to make sure quality public education is accessible to all in every country around the world.

    Let´s make 2023 a year of renewed solidarity for education around the world
  15. Worlds of Education 17 December 2022

    Refugee Education: Key Tensions and Opportunities

    Maysa Jalbout, Katy Bullard

    Refugee education is more critical than ever. Centering refugee voices and resolving key tensions in policy and programming will be critical for ensuring that all refugee students and teachers receive the support they need. Teachers’ unions can play an important role in these processes, connecting refugee teachers to valuable services,...

    Refugee Education: Key Tensions and Opportunities
  16. Worlds of Education 14 December 2022

    The toxic influence of the private school system

    Florian Lascroux

    If there was free, quality state education throughout the world, the existence of private schools would probably not pose much of a problem. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the expansion of the private education system poses a big risk to universal schooling and quality education, foundations of an...

    The toxic influence of the private school system
  17. Worlds of Education 24 November 2022

    The Copyright Experience of the University of the South Pacific: a Union Perspective

    Elizabeth Reade Fong

    Legislation is meant not only to protect but to bring equity. And copyright legislation is not meant to be any different. However, the reality on the ground in a developing country like Fiji has only reinforced the inequity of access to and, more importantly, the use of information for learning...

    The Copyright Experience of the University of the South Pacific: a Union Perspective
  18. News 7 November 2022

    France: Discussing inclusion among all educational professions, across all territories. It can be done!

    As part of the second annual meeting of education professionals organised by the Union Nationale des Syndicats Autonomes-Éducation (UNSA Education), 30 meetings in all regions and overseas territories will bring together more than 1,000 French educators on 15 November to discuss the question: “Inclusive society: what about education?”

    France: Discussing inclusion among all educational professions, across all territories. It can be done!