In 2015, the United Nations member states were tasked with a formidable challenge: to predict and shape the future of global education with a timeframe of 2030. This led to the establishment of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with Goal 4 aimed at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all (United Nations, 2015). As we stand in 2024, it is crucial to evaluate our progress towards these goals, acknowledging achievements, areas of concern, and identify a path forward. 

In 2024, a child born in 2015 turns 9 years old. On average, this child would have received 3 years of Pre-K education and approximately 4-5 years of elementary school education. If fortunate enough to have navigated the health challenges of COVID-19, they likely spent significant portions of their first and second grade education online, a reality that many parents, educators, and policymakers can relate to. 

The path towards achieving these goals is fraught with unprecedented challenges. If the same child was born in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a 30% chance that they will not complete primary school on time. Should they advance to secondary education, they face a reality where 40% of teachers are untrained (United Nations, 2023). By now, if they have not had an engagement with computers or the internet, the likelihood of them pursuing tertiary education diminishes significantly. These statistics suggest that, by the measures set by the SDGs, we are not fulfilling our obligations to such children.

Despite criticisms that the SDGs are too broad and lack specificity, they have successfully provided a comprehensive framework for addressing educational inequities. This framework has become an essential tool for focusing attention and resources on areas most in need of development, establishing a diagnostic approach to determine where support is most critically required. We now know where the child is and their community needs. 

If we look at the dashboard today in 2024, we are seeing lagging indicators in all measures but it should not be a pessimistic outlook. Reframing our perspective allows us to see that failing to meet specific targets does not equate to the failure of the children themselves. Lifelong learning, as envisioned by the SDG framework (United Nations, 2015), should not be a destination but a continual process. It is imperative that we do not become demotivated by slower progress but rather remain committed that the progress continues. 

And that progress might not need to be linear. The concept of leapfrogging offers a silver lining in this scenario. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the rising inequality even in developed countries, there exists greater potential for knowledge transfer and innovative educational approaches than ever before. As Winthrop (2018) suggests, leapfrogging represents a strategic opportunity to bypass conventional educational hurdles, including those of infrastructure and teacher shortage. Moreover, advances in learning science—drawing from psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science—offer new insights into how people can learn and adapt. 

While still emerging, this knowledge challenges previous assumptions and offers new strategies for educational development, particularly in environments that have historically been underserved or overlooked due to a focus on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) populations (Henrich, nd), offering a promise to education and culturally responsive pedagogy at scale. 

In conclusion, while the challenges of achieving SDG 4 are significant, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains hope and potential for transformative progress. By embracing innovative educational strategies, such as leapfrogging and applying insights from the learning sciences, we can overcome barriers to quality education.

References:

United Nations. (2015). The Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved from https://sdgs.un.org/goals 

United Nations. (2023). The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023. Retrieved from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf

Winthrop, R., Barton, A., & McGivney, E. (2018). Leapfrogging Inequality: Remaking Education to Help Young People Thrive. 

Henrich, J. (nd). The Weirdest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous. Retrieved from https://weirdpeople.fas.harvard.edu/qa-weird