Review of Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDGs)in the area of education

Introduction

The concept of sustainable development was described by the Bruntland Commission Report in 1987 as “development that meet the need of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.  17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030 For Sustainable Development officially came into force on 1 January 2016 which was adopted by United Nations in 2015. The SDGs also known as Global Goals was built on the success of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which aims to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and handle climate change while protecting the planet insuring that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. SDGs identified that action in one area will have reaction in others so development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Sustainable Development Goals are listed below:-

1.      No poverty

2.      Zero hunger

3.      Good health and well being

4.      Quality education

5.      Gender equality

6.      Clean water and sanitation

7.      Affordable and clean energy

8.      Decent work and economic growth

9.      Industry, innovation and economy

10.  Reduced inequality

11.  Sustainable cities and communities

12.  Responsible consumption and production

13.  Climate action

14.  Life below water

15.  Life on land

16.  Peace, justice and strong institutions

17.  Partnerships for the Goals

 

Review of Goal 4 Quality education

 Achieving inclusive and quality education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. This goal ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and secondary schooling by 2030. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, to eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to a quality higher education.

Targets of Goal 4 Quality Education

1.      It ensures that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preprimary education making them ready for primary education by 2030.

2.      It ensures equal access for all men and women to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university by 2030.

3.       It aims to increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship by 2030.

4.      It ensures equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations by eliminating gender inequality by 2030.

5.      By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

6.      It ensures education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human right, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence and appreciation of cultural diversity and cultural contribution to sustainable development by 2030.

7.      It ensure to build and upgrade education facilities for children with disability and gender sensitivity and provide safe, nonviolent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.

8.      By 2020, globally expand the number of scholarships available to developing countries,  least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for engagement in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, engineering and scientific programmes.

9.      By 2030, significantly increase the supply of qualified teachers through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing states.

 

In short it can be concluded that SDGs in education targets for free and quality pre-primary, primary and secondary education including technical, vocational and higher education. It also focuses to increase the number of people with relevant skill for financial success eliminating all discrimination in education which results in increments in universal literacy and numeracy. Education for sustainable development and global citizenship with cultural diversity has been center of attention. It also targets to build and upgrade inclusive and safe school for child with disability status or background and expand higher education scholarship for students from developing countries and increase the supply of qualified teachers in developing countries.