SDG #4 is to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
Within SDG #4 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 4.7:
By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
Target 4.7 has one indicator:
Indicator 4.7.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
For us to have peace and sustainable development, we first need to educate ourselves on what sustainable development is. How we achieve it is the foundation for peace. The issues the SDGs place before are urgent. But we can take actions to foster sustainable development to keep at bay the most sudden and striking outcomes on our planet. Our world is interdependent, and whether we choose to be or not, we’re global citizens.
But what does it mean to be a good global citizen? Like anything in life, to light the way, we need an education in global citizenship. In this way, we can go on to contribute, whatever our age, and this opportunity ought to inspire us all. Education to foster understanding across countries, as well as being a human right, opens a world of freedom for the learner.
The responsibility to put in place this right of citizens in each country lies with the relevant ministries of education. But we have an opportunity at the international level for member states to cooperate via UNESCO’s efforts.
UNESCO has issued a recommendation document outlining how governments should foster such education. Recommendations are part of the legal jargon of UNESCO to set standards for member states to put into practice or law.
The results for this indicator are encouraging among the countries with data. We're measuring the extent of mainstreaming global citizenship and sustainable development education. The unit of measure is an index, where 0 is the worst and 1 the best. Most reporting countries record indexes greater than 0.8 for mainstreaming in national education. The results are similar for mainstreaming in curricula, teacher education and student assessment.
