SDG 4: Quality Education Intelligence Platform
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
📊 Executive Dashboard
🎒 Out-of-School Children & Youth
📖 Global Literacy Gap
👨🏫 Teacher Shortage
💰 Annual Financing Gap
📉 Learning Poverty Rate
🎯 Countries On Track
📈 Global Progress Snapshot
⚡ Key Challenges
🎯 Goal Overview
About SDG 4: Quality Education
Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all." Adopted in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda, SDG 4 recognizes education as a fundamental human right and a key driver of sustainable development.
Core Components
📚 Access
Universal access to quality education at all levels, from early childhood through tertiary education and lifelong learning.
🎯 Quality
Ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed for sustainable development, including through education for sustainable development.
⚖️ Equity
Eliminate gender disparities and ensure equal access for vulnerable populations including persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples.
📊 Global Education Landscape 2024
| Indicator | Global Value | 2015 Baseline | 2030 Target | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Completion Rate | 87% | 85% | 100% | Progress |
| Lower Secondary Completion | 77% | 73% | 100% | Progress |
| Upper Secondary Completion | 58% | 52% | 100% | Off Track |
| Trained Teachers (Primary) | 85% | 81% | 100% | Progress |
| Schools with Internet (Primary) | 52% | 33% | 100% | Off Track |
| Pre-Primary Participation (1yr before primary) | 75% | 69% | 100% | Progress |
📋 SDG 4 Targets & Indicators
SDG 4 comprises 7 outcome targets (4.1-4.7) and 3 means of implementation targets (4.a-4.c), measured by 12 global indicators.
Target 4.1: Universal Primary & Secondary Education
By 2030, ensure all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
Status: Only 52% achieve minimum reading proficiency at end of primary; 42% for mathematics
Target 4.2: Early Childhood Development
By 2030, ensure all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
Indicator 4.2.2: Participation rate in organized learning (one year before primary) - Currently 75% globally
Target 4.3: Equal Access to Technical/Vocational & Tertiary Education
By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
Status: Tertiary GER at 40% globally, ranging from 9% (SSA) to 75% (North America)
Target 4.4: Skills for Employment
By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
Status: 40% can copy/move files; 29% can use spreadsheets; 6% can write programs
Target 4.5: Eliminate Gender Disparities & Equal Access
By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels for vulnerable groups.
Status: Primary GPI 0.99; Secondary 0.98; Tertiary 1.14 (women exceeding men in many countries)
Target 4.6: Universal Literacy & Numeracy
By 2030, ensure all youth and a substantial proportion of adults achieve literacy and numeracy.
Status: Youth literacy 92%; Adult literacy 87%; 754M illiterate adults globally
Target 4.7: Education for Sustainable Development
By 2030, ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, human rights, gender equality, culture of peace.
Status: 83% of countries have ESD policies; implementation varies significantly
Target 4.a: Build & Upgrade Education Facilities
Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
Status: 40% of primary schools in Sub-Saharan Africa lack electricity; 35% lack basic drinking water
Target 4.b: Expand Scholarships for Developing Countries
By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries for enrollment in higher education.
Status: $1.3 billion in scholarship ODA (2022); predominantly for STEM fields
Target 4.c: Increase Supply of Qualified Teachers
By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries.
Status: 85% primary trained; 78% secondary trained globally; SSA at 64% and 50% respectively
🌍 Regional Analysis
SSA Sub-Saharan Africa
Key Statistics
- Out-of-School: 98 million (37% of global total)
- Primary NER: 79%
- Secondary NER: 43%
- Learning Poverty: 89%
- Trained Teachers: 64% (primary)
- Education Spending: 4.1% of GDP
Priority Challenges
- Fastest-growing school-age population
- 15 million additional teachers needed by 2030
- 60% of schools lack electricity
- Limited secondary education capacity
- Conflict affecting 27 million children
SA South Asia
Key Statistics
- Out-of-School: 55 million (21% of global)
- Primary NER: 89%
- Secondary NER: 62%
- Learning Poverty: 58%
- Trained Teachers: 75% (primary)
- Education Spending: 3.8% of GDP
Priority Challenges
- Largest absolute numbers out-of-school
- High learning poverty despite enrollment
- Gender gaps in STEM education
- Quality teacher shortage
- Rural-urban disparities
EAP East Asia & Pacific
Key Statistics
- Out-of-School: 35 million (13% of global)
- Primary NER: 95%
- Secondary NER: 76%
- Learning Poverty: 25%
- Trained Teachers: 91% (primary)
- Education Spending: 4.3% of GDP
Key Successes
- Strong PISA performance (China, Singapore, Korea)
- High investment in education technology
- Near-universal primary completion
- Strong vocational training systems
LAC Latin America & Caribbean
Key Statistics
- Out-of-School: 18 million (7% of global)
- Primary NER: 94%
- Secondary NER: 77%
- Learning Poverty: 63%
- Trained Teachers: 83% (primary)
- Education Spending: 5.1% of GDP
Priority Challenges
- High inequality in education outcomes
- Severe pandemic learning losses
- Secondary dropout rates
- Indigenous education gaps
MENA Middle East & North Africa
Key Statistics
- Out-of-School: 21 million (8% of global)
- Primary NER: 91%
- Secondary NER: 72%
- Learning Poverty: 63%
- Trained Teachers: 87% (primary)
- Education Spending: 4.6% of GDP
Priority Challenges
- Conflict affecting 15M+ children
- Refugee education needs (Syria, Yemen)
- Youth unemployment despite education
- Skills mismatch with labor market
ECA Europe & Central Asia
Key Statistics
- Out-of-School: 6 million (2% of global)
- Primary NER: 97%
- Secondary NER: 94%
- Learning Poverty: 10%
- Trained Teachers: 95% (primary)
- Education Spending: 4.9% of GDP
Focus Areas
- Maintaining quality amid fiscal pressures
- Roma and minority inclusion
- Vocational education modernization
- Digital transformation
🏳️ Country Profiles
195 Countries Tracked
| Country | Region | Primary NER | Secondary NER | Learning Poverty | Ed Spending | SDG 4 Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | North America | 94% | 91% | 17% | 5.4% | On Track |
| 🇮🇳 India | South Asia | 92% | 74% | 56% | 4.5% | Progress |
| 🇨🇳 China | East Asia & Pacific | 99% | 95% | 8% | 4.0% | On Track |
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria | Sub-Saharan Africa | 64% | 42% | 87% | 1.8% | Critical |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | South Asia | 97% | 73% | 58% | 2.0% | Progress |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | Latin America | 96% | 81% | 48% | 6.3% | Progress |
| 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | Sub-Saharan Africa | 85% | 35% | 90% | 5.1% | Off Track |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | East Asia & Pacific | 95% | 79% | 52% | 3.5% | Progress |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | South Asia | 73% | 45% | 75% | 2.5% | Off Track |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | Sub-Saharan Africa | 92% | 53% | 68% | 5.3% | Progress |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | MENA | 97% | 81% | 69% | 3.9% | Progress |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | East Asia & Pacific | 98% | 92% | 12% | 4.1% | On Track |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | Europe & Central Asia | 99% | 95% | 3% | 6.8% | On Track |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | East Asia & Pacific | 99% | 98% | 5% | 5.1% | On Track |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa | 90% | 72% | 78% | 6.2% | Progress |
💰 Education Financing
🌍 Global Education Spending
📉 Financing Gap
💵 Education ODA
📊 Recommended Target
📊 Education Spending by Region
💰 Major Education Financing Mechanisms
| Mechanism | Annual Funding | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Global Partnership for Education | $1.3B | LMICs system strengthening |
| Education Cannot Wait | $1.5B (4-year) | Education in emergencies |
| IDA/World Bank | $8.2B | Education sector support |
| Bilateral ODA | $10.5B | Direct country support |
| Private Foundations | $2.1B | Innovation, access |
🏛️ Organizations Database
🇺🇳 UNESCO
UN Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization. Leads global education coordination and SDG 4 monitoring.
UN Agency SDG 4 Lead🇺🇳 UNICEF
Children's education focus. School feeding, early childhood education, girls' education, emergencies.
UN Agency Children🏦 World Bank
Largest external education funder. $8.2B annual lending. Learning poverty initiative. EdStats database.
Multilateral Financing📚 Global Partnership for Education
$1.3B annual. 90+ partner countries. System strengthening in low-income countries.
Multilateral GPE⚡ Education Cannot Wait
UN global fund for education in emergencies. $1.5B mobilized. Reaches 8.8M children in crises.
Multilateral Emergencies📖 Save the Children
Education programs in 100+ countries. Early childhood, literacy, crisis response.
NGO Global🎓 BRAC
World's largest NGO. Operates 40,000+ schools in Bangladesh. Reaches 1M+ students.
NGO Bangladesh🌍 Teach For All
Network of 60+ organizations in 60 countries. Leadership development for education equity.
NGO Network📱 Pratham
India's largest education NGO. Teaching at Right Level (TaRL). ASER assessments.
NGO India💰 Gates Foundation
Major education funder. K-12, postsecondary success, research & innovation.
Foundation US Focus🌐 Mastercard Foundation
$500M+ in education. Scholars Program. Africa focus. Secondary & tertiary access.
Foundation Africa📊 LEGO Foundation
Learning through play. Early childhood development. $100M+ annual grants.
Foundation Play-based📈 OECD
PISA assessments. Education at a Glance. Policy analysis for 38 member countries.
Multilateral Research🔬 J-PAL
MIT-based. Randomized evaluations in education. Evidence-based policy recommendations.
Research Evidence📚 Room to Read
Literacy & girls' education. 23M+ children reached. 20 countries. Library programs.
NGO Literacy💻 EdTech Ecosystem
Major Platforms & Scale
📚 Khan Academy
150M users worldwide. Free K-12 content. 10,000+ videos. Available in 40+ languages.
Free K-12🎓 Coursera
148M users. 7,000+ courses from 300+ universities. Professional certificates & degrees.
Higher Ed Certificates📖 edX
45M users. Harvard & MIT founded. 4,000+ courses. MicroMasters programs.
Higher Ed Universities💼 LinkedIn Learning
27M users. 21,000+ courses. Professional skills focus. Enterprise solutions.
Professional Skills🌐 Duolingo
500M users. Language learning. Gamification pioneer. 40+ languages.
Languages Mobile🎯 BYJU'S
150M users. India's largest EdTech. K-12 and test prep. Video-based learning.
India K-12🏫 Google Classroom
150M+ users. Free LMS for schools. Integrated with Google Workspace.
LMS Free📱 Microsoft Education
100M+ users. Teams for Education. Office 365 Education. Minecraft Education.
Enterprise Schools📊 Canvas (Instructure)
30M users. Leading higher ed LMS. 4,000+ institutions. Analytics-focused.
LMS Higher EdGlobal EdTech Initiatives
🌍 UNESCO Global Education Coalition
175+ member organizations. Free digital solutions for COVID recovery. Connectivity & content focus.
📱 Learning Passport (UNICEF/Microsoft)
Digital learning platform for refugee and displaced children. Curriculum-aligned content. Offline capability.
🚀 Global Initiatives
🇺🇳 Transforming Education Summit (2022)
Historic UN summit to accelerate SDG 4. 133 national commitments. Focus areas: learning crisis, teachers, digital, financing, gender.
📖 Foundational Learning Compact
Commitment to cut learning poverty in half by 2030. Focus on foundational literacy and numeracy in LMICs.
👩🏫 International Task Force on Teachers
Global alliance to address teacher shortage. 85+ member countries. Policy guidance and advocacy for teachers.
👧 Generation Unlimited
1.8 billion young people targeted. Skills, entrepreneurship, employment for youth aged 10-24.
🛡️ Safe to Learn
End violence in and around schools by 2024. Policy tools, standards, and implementation support.
📱 Giga Initiative
Connect every school to the internet. Map 1M+ schools. 35 countries. Infrastructure and connectivity.
⚠️ Challenges & Gaps
🚨 The Global Learning Crisis
📉 Dimensions of the Crisis
- Access Crisis: 262M children out of school
- Learning Crisis: Enrolled but not learning
- Skills Crisis: Mismatch with labor market needs
- Equity Crisis: Poorest quintile 4x more likely to be out of school
🔥 Root Causes
- Underqualified and under-supported teachers
- Inadequate learning materials
- Poor school infrastructure
- Inefficient resource allocation
- Weak governance and accountability
👨🏫 Teacher Crisis
- 44 million additional teachers needed by 2030
- Sub-Saharan Africa needs 15 million (35% of global gap)
- Only 64% of teachers in SSA are trained
- Low salaries leading to attrition
- Limited professional development opportunities
💰 Financing Crisis
- $343 billion annual gap to achieve SDG 4
- Low-income countries average only 4% of budget on education
- Education ODA stagnant at $17.8B (2% of total ODA)
- COVID-19 diverted education budgets to health
- Debt burden limiting fiscal space
📱 Digital Divide
No Internet Access
Schools Without Electricity
Device Access Gap
📈 Data Analytics
📊 Enrollment Trends (2000-2024)
🌍 Out-of-School by Region
📉 Learning Poverty by Region
👨🏫 Teacher Gap by Region
📖 Case Studies
🇫🇮 Finland: World-Class Education System
Context: Transformed from average to top PISA performer through comprehensive education reforms.
- Highly selective teacher training (top 10% of graduates)
- Master's degree required for all teachers
- High teacher autonomy and trust
- No standardized testing until age 16
- Equal funding across schools
- Consistently top 5 in PISA rankings
- Smallest gap between top and bottom performers
- Near-universal completion rates
- High teacher satisfaction and retention
🇰🇷 South Korea: Rapid Education Transformation
Context: From 22% literacy (1945) to 99% with world-leading education outcomes in 75 years.
- Massive public investment (2% → 5% GDP)
- Cultural prioritization of education
- Strong vocational training pathways
- Early technology integration
- Tertiary enrollment: 5% (1965) → 98% (2020)
- Top PISA performer
- 99% adult literacy
🇧🇷 Brazil: Bolsa Família Conditional Cash Transfers
Context: World's largest CCT program linking welfare payments to school attendance.
- Cash conditional on 85% school attendance
- Covers 14 million families (50M people)
- Average benefit ~$35/month per child
- 15% increase in school enrollment
- 40% reduction in grade repetition
- 36% reduction in dropout rates
🇮🇳 India: Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL)
Context: Evidence-based pedagogy grouping children by learning level rather than age/grade.
- Assess actual learning levels
- Group by ability, not grade
- Focus on foundational literacy & numeracy
- Train local tutors with simple methods
- Reading gains: 2-3x standard instruction
- Cost-effective: $4-15 per child/year
- Replicated in 14+ countries
🗓️ Implementation Roadmap 2025-2030
Learning Recovery & System Strengthening
- Learning Recovery: Implement catch-up programs for pandemic losses
- Teacher Support: Emergency recruitment; salary increases; professional development
- Infrastructure: School connectivity initiative; WASH facilities
- Data Systems: Real-time learning assessment systems
Scale-Up & Quality Improvement
- Universal Access: Scale free primary/secondary; eliminate fees
- Quality Teaching: Competency-based certification; instructional coaching
- Curriculum Reform: 21st century skills; STEM focus
- Digital Transformation: EdTech integration; digital content
Target Achievement & Sustainability
- Target 4.1: Universal primary/secondary completion
- Target 4.2: Universal pre-primary participation
- Target 4.5: Gender parity at all levels
- Target 4.c: All teachers qualified; 44M gap addressed
Key Action Areas
💰 Financing
- Increase domestic spending to 6% GDP
- Triple education ODA to $50B/year
- Innovative financing (bonds, debt swaps)
👨🏫 Teachers
- Recruit 44M additional teachers
- Competitive salaries
- Professional development pathways
📱 Technology
- Universal school connectivity
- Device access for all learners
- Quality digital content (OER)
📚 Resources & Links
Official UN & Policy Documents
Data & Statistics
📊 World Bank EdStats
Comprehensive education statistics database.
datatopics.worldbank.org/education