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.a:
Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
Target 4.a has one indicator:
Indicator 4.a.1: Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service
Key to achieving this in the modern-day is access to information and communication technologies. ICTs allow even the remotest schools and children to access education systems. It even allows the possibility to access some of the best education institutions in the world. Schools need electricity to power the information and communication technologies. They also need an internet connection and computers for teaching and learning. Still, solutions to achieve this are available at low-cost.
The infrastructure of the learning environment also needs to adapt to be suitable for those with a disability. The learning materials need to factor in disabled students also.
School facilities also need basic facilities for drinking water, sanitation, and handwashing.
Let's look at the worldwide progress toward this target and indicator. The proportion of schools offering the basic service of access to electricity as of 2020 was 90% in upper secondary, and 75% in primary. 80% of secondary schools offered access to handwashing facilities, and 76% of primary schools. 84% of secondary schools offered access to drinking water, and 75% of primary schools. 76% of upper secondary schools offered access to computers, and 46% of primary schools. The proportion of primary schools offering internet access for the purposes of teaching worldwide in 2022 was 39%. 89% of secondary schools offered single-sex toilets worldwide in 2020, and 76% of primary schools. 56% of secondary schools offered learning materials and infrastructure adapted to disabled students. This proportion was 47% for primary schools.
