Assessing SDG 4 in education systems: Tool for students and teachers

Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4) of the United Nations seeks to guarantee inclusive, equitable and quality education, and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. 

Working towards this ambitious aim is crucial for achieving sustainability now and in the future. Now the question is: What about progress towards SDG 4 in individual schools, teachers, and students?

The ability to understand and measure the educational process is needed for the detection of the existing gaps and for the course of action to be consistent with international standards.

Here’s a guide for students and teachers on how to address the need for assessing progress towards SDG 4 in schools.

Comprehending aims of SDG 4

The education aspect of SDG 4 has 10 milestones, which include extending universal primary and secondary education to all, increasing the number of qualified vocational schools, and improving the standard of teaching. Out of these, the following targets are relevant to schools in specific instances:

— Universal primary and secondary education completion: It is expected that all children will have access to and complete free primary and secondary schooling by the year 2030.

— Elimination of gender issues in education: Gender biases towards either boys or girls shall not be tolerated and everyone shall have an equal chance to go to school irrespective of their sex.

— Access to education for all populations: The education systems should also provide provisions for disabled persons and other disadvantaged groups.

— Teaching requirements: It is critical for the educational system that teachers are well-trained and willing to create a situation in which all students will learn effectively.

Measuring progress

To assess the level of achievement of these targets by the schools, many key indicators can be used:

— Enrolment and attendance rates: Are all students properly registered in a school and are they attending classes consistently? High rates of attendance and enrolment are important preconditions for achieving universal access to education.

— Student attainment: Examination performance, rates of literacy, levels of numeracy expected, etc. are all useful indicators of educational quality. Schools can also carry out regular assessments of students to evaluate their academic progress.

— Gender parity index (GPI): This indicator reflects the number of girls in education compared to boys, illustrating the extent of equality in educational access and achievements.
- Exclusion of the vulnerable groups: Schools should develop systems to monitor the enrolment, participation and achievement of students with special needs or from marginalised groups.

— Participation of the teachers in teacher training programmes: It is important to assess the level of regular professional development and other training for teachers, as this will help to avoid a situation where the learners are taught by unqualified personnel.

Usage of technology

The importance of technology in the assessment of educational advancement is irrefutable.

Schools can also employ electronic databases to track and store information, which may include attendance, performance indicators, and even teacher training history. 

Furthermore, technology in classrooms enhances the collection and analysis of data which encourages flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of the learners.

Involving students in monitoring progress

Learners and students can play an active role in monitoring progress on SDG 4. They should be encouraged to self-assess, appreciate what attendance and exam scores mean, and think deeply about the inclusiveness and equality that exist in their schools.

Student councils may also seek the opinions of their classmates on the quality and inclusiveness of teaching within the school, and this contributes to a more extensive understanding of the school's successes and weaknesses.

Community involvement

There is a need for schools to involve parents, local communities and other stakeholders in discussions related to the educational advancement of the learners.

Community support is a source of responsibility and helps foster improvement within the systems. Schools can also conduct community meetings and issue progress reports to the public to enhance transparency and facilitate working together toward effective education for all individuals.

Consistent assessment

The aspect of monitoring growth is very important in every programme. The system should periodically assess its data and consider its successes, failures and recommended actions.

Every phase completion such as those on SDG 4 can be presented in school assemblies, within newsletters, or on the school’s web pages to promote a constant improvement environment.

Assessment of SDG 4 implementation progress in institutions is indispensable in guaranteeing that no learner is excluded from equitable access to quality education.

This can be complemented by information and communications technology which enables the schools to evaluate how far they have been contributing towards this universal goal.

Both teachers and students are critical in this as together they hope to improve the status of education. However, this is a collective approach with continual assessment and therefore by the year 2030, everyone’s desire for access to education of good quality will be achieved.

The writer is the Education Programme Officer
Ghana Commission for UNESCO
Email: Kwakye Kofi Takyi