Online programme and meeting document Integrating SDG4 in National Education Planning

Key messages

1. In September 2015 the World adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with 17 Sustainable Develop-ment Goals (SDG). The fourth SDG focuses on education, uniting a coherent set of interrelated targets to ensure quality education for all and equal learning opportunities throughout life.

2. SDG4 goes beyond a mere expansion of the scope and coverage of the Education for All agenda by placing learn-ing and equity at the core of global education discourse.

3. This requires rethinking education and envisioning a new construct of education around lifelong and life-wide learning, and integrating SDG4 into national education planning.

4. According to a survey conducted by UNESCO in 2016 to gauge the readiness of sub-Saharan African countries for national SDG4 integration: a) important data, policy and capacity gaps need to be addressed in meeting the new vision of quality education and learning for all; b) national planning cycles and effective sector dialogue mechanisms at the country level present important opportunities.

5. Building on existing systems to progressively integrate prioritized SDG4 targets and relevant strategies and indi-cators into national education sector plans and their M&E frameworks will be of critical importance.