Written By: Poluk Sharma
Edited By: Akanksha Nayak
It’s no secret that a quality education is the key to a successful future. Education is critical when it comes to making real changes in our world, and it affects several other global goals, too. Quality education for everyone can help break the cycle of poverty, which can reduce hunger, therefore improving global health. It can help reduce inequalities and support economic growth, innovation, and infrastructure. All of this will help create the ideal environment for the final global goal: peace, justice, and strong institutions.
How Can We Measure Where We Are At?
The Fourth Global Goal, “Quality Education,” is defined by 10 targets we aim to achieve by 2030. According to the Global Goals Website, these targets are to give everyone equal access to:
Free primary and secondary education
Proper early development through quality pre-school childcare
Higher education
Relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship
Education without discrimination
Universal literacy and numeracy
Education for sustainable development and global citizenship
Schools that have been upgraded to be safe and inclusive
More further education scholarships for developing countries
Greater numbers of qualified teachers in developing countries
Each of these targets has several of its own measurable sub targets, such as certain proficiency levels of reading or mathematics. You can learn more about them at globalgoals.org/4-quality-education and sdg-tracker.org/quality-education.
So Where Are We At?
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has set all the global goals back, including “Quality Education,” and the goals are looking increasingly out of reach. Millions of students around the world, even those with access to quality education, have experienced the effects of virtual learning over the past year, and are falling behind in their education. Educational resources in countries such as India are more limited because of their large population. According to UNESCO, “more than 262 million children and youth are out of school…750 million adults are illiterate.”
This doesn’t mean, however, that the goal is completely unattainable, or that we should stop working towards it. The goal is incredibly important to the well-being of our world, and each step towards it makes a difference. However, to achieve this goal, like any other, it is imperative that we work together, within our own communities and across borders.
How Can You Help Us Reach Our Goal?
There are many ways to get involved in contributing towards quality education for all. Joining or supporting an organization that works towards this goal, like Reach for The Stars, The Village of Dreams, Save The Children, UNESCO, and UNICEF, to name a few, is a great way to do this. Donating used books, particularly schoolbooks, to those in need is also a good idea. You could even initiate or support your own school supply or book drives! Additionally, be sure to take advantage of technology and take online courses to pursue your own education. In addition to online tutoring, there are many free self-paced courses available online, including several from reputable universities like Harvard, Yale, and MIT. Be sure to spread awareness about these options as well so that they can reach as many people as possible! And of course, take the initiative to support your own education. All in all, a well-educated world will be better equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to create a better future, and every person makes a difference.
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