challenges for quality education

Four of the biggest problems facing education—and four trends that could make a difference

Eduardo velez bustillo, harry a. patrinos.

In 2022, we published, Lessons for the education sector from the COVID-19 pandemic , which was a follow up to,  Four Education Trends that Countries Everywhere Should Know About , which summarized views of education experts around the world on how to handle the most pressing issues facing the education sector then. We focused on neuroscience, the role of the private sector, education technology, inequality, and pedagogy.

Unfortunately, we think the four biggest problems facing education today in developing countries are the same ones we have identified in the last decades .

1. The learning crisis was made worse by COVID-19 school closures

Low quality instruction is a major constraint and prior to COVID-19, the learning poverty rate in low- and middle-income countries was 57% (6 out of 10 children could not read and understand basic texts by age 10). More dramatic is the case of Sub-Saharan Africa with a rate even higher at 86%. Several analyses show that the impact of the pandemic on student learning was significant, leaving students in low- and middle-income countries way behind in mathematics, reading and other subjects.  Some argue that learning poverty may be close to 70% after the pandemic , with a substantial long-term negative effect in future earnings. This generation could lose around $21 trillion in future salaries, with the vulnerable students affected the most.

2. Countries are not paying enough attention to early childhood care and education (ECCE)

At the pre-school level about two-thirds of countries do not have a proper legal framework to provide free and compulsory pre-primary education. According to UNESCO, only a minority of countries, mostly high-income, were making timely progress towards SDG4 benchmarks on early childhood indicators prior to the onset of COVID-19. And remember that ECCE is not only preparation for primary school. It can be the foundation for emotional wellbeing and learning throughout life; one of the best investments a country can make.

3. There is an inadequate supply of high-quality teachers

Low quality teaching is a huge problem and getting worse in many low- and middle-income countries.  In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, the percentage of trained teachers fell from 84% in 2000 to 69% in 2019 . In addition, in many countries teachers are formally trained and as such qualified, but do not have the minimum pedagogical training. Globally, teachers for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects are the biggest shortfalls.

4. Decision-makers are not implementing evidence-based or pro-equity policies that guarantee solid foundations

It is difficult to understand the continued focus on non-evidence-based policies when there is so much that we know now about what works. Two factors contribute to this problem. One is the short tenure that top officials have when leading education systems. Examples of countries where ministers last less than one year on average are plentiful. The second and more worrisome deals with the fact that there is little attention given to empirical evidence when designing education policies.

To help improve on these four fronts, we see four supporting trends:

1. Neuroscience should be integrated into education policies

Policies considering neuroscience can help ensure that students get proper attention early to support brain development in the first 2-3 years of life. It can also help ensure that children learn to read at the proper age so that they will be able to acquire foundational skills to learn during the primary education cycle and from there on. Inputs like micronutrients, early child stimulation for gross and fine motor skills, speech and language and playing with other children before the age of three are cost-effective ways to get proper development. Early grade reading, using the pedagogical suggestion by the Early Grade Reading Assessment model, has improved learning outcomes in many low- and middle-income countries. We now have the tools to incorporate these advances into the teaching and learning system with AI , ChatGPT , MOOCs and online tutoring.

2. Reversing learning losses at home and at school

There is a real need to address the remaining and lingering losses due to school closures because of COVID-19.  Most students living in households with incomes under the poverty line in the developing world, roughly the bottom 80% in low-income countries and the bottom 50% in middle-income countries, do not have the minimum conditions to learn at home . These students do not have access to the internet, and, often, their parents or guardians do not have the necessary schooling level or the time to help them in their learning process. Connectivity for poor households is a priority. But learning continuity also requires the presence of an adult as a facilitator—a parent, guardian, instructor, or community worker assisting the student during the learning process while schools are closed or e-learning is used.

To recover from the negative impact of the pandemic, the school system will need to develop at the student level: (i) active and reflective learning; (ii) analytical and applied skills; (iii) strong self-esteem; (iv) attitudes supportive of cooperation and solidarity; and (v) a good knowledge of the curriculum areas. At the teacher (instructor, facilitator, parent) level, the system should aim to develop a new disposition toward the role of teacher as a guide and facilitator. And finally, the system also needs to increase parental involvement in the education of their children and be active part in the solution of the children’s problems. The Escuela Nueva Learning Circles or the Pratham Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) are models that can be used.

3. Use of evidence to improve teaching and learning

We now know more about what works at scale to address the learning crisis. To help countries improve teaching and learning and make teaching an attractive profession, based on available empirical world-wide evidence , we need to improve its status, compensation policies and career progression structures; ensure pre-service education includes a strong practicum component so teachers are well equipped to transition and perform effectively in the classroom; and provide high-quality in-service professional development to ensure they keep teaching in an effective way. We also have the tools to address learning issues cost-effectively. The returns to schooling are high and increasing post-pandemic. But we also have the cost-benefit tools to make good decisions, and these suggest that structured pedagogy, teaching according to learning levels (with and without technology use) are proven effective and cost-effective .

4. The role of the private sector

When properly regulated the private sector can be an effective education provider, and it can help address the specific needs of countries. Most of the pedagogical models that have received international recognition come from the private sector. For example, the recipients of the Yidan Prize on education development are from the non-state sector experiences (Escuela Nueva, BRAC, edX, Pratham, CAMFED and New Education Initiative). In the context of the Artificial Intelligence movement, most of the tools that will revolutionize teaching and learning come from the private sector (i.e., big data, machine learning, electronic pedagogies like OER-Open Educational Resources, MOOCs, etc.). Around the world education technology start-ups are developing AI tools that may have a good potential to help improve quality of education .

After decades asking the same questions on how to improve the education systems of countries, we, finally, are finding answers that are very promising.  Governments need to be aware of this fact.

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Consultant, Education Sector, World Bank

Senior Adviser, Education

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Adapting approaches to deliver quality education in response to COVID-19

Subscribe to the center for universal education bulletin, patrick hannahan patrick hannahan former project director, millions learning project - the brookings institution.

April 23, 2020

The world is adjusting to a new reality that was unimaginable three months ago. COVID-19 has altered every aspect of our lives, introducing abrupt changes to the way governments, businesses, and communities operate. A recent virtual summit of G-20 leaders underscored the changing times. The pandemic has impacted education systems around the world , forcing more than 1.5 billion students out of schools and universities. The crisis offers an important reflection point for education leaders to question the status quo and explore new approaches for delivering quality education to millions of children. How can the global education community use this moment as an opportunity to ” build back better ” to meet the demands of the future?

At the Center for Universal Education (CUE), we are driven to better understand how education initiatives scale and spread across communities and countries. Similar to the multistakeholder approach required to address a global pandemic, scaling an education initiative requires strong leaders from diverse sectors working toward a common goal. How does the scaling process play out in real time, and how can lessons learned be captured and shared to inform related efforts? CUE is investigating this through Real-time Scaling Labs , an action research approach of Millions Learning undertaken with government and civil society partners in Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the Philippines, and Tanzania.

The Real-time Scaling Lab approach is guided by the notion of adaptive learning. This means understanding local contexts, being flexible when plans change, and systematically learning along the way. A number of key actions underpin an adaptive learning approach, such as experimenting with new approaches, leveraging deep roots within communities, sharing knowledge, and embracing windows of opportunity. CUE’s scaling lab partners are indeed taking these actions to ensure children and young people continue to receive an education, particularly in response to COVID-19. While the safety of staff is the top priority, it is inspiring to observe how partners remain committed to their mission of supporting beneficiaries by using an adaptive learning approach during this challenging time.

Experimenting with new approaches . Young 1ove is a youth-driven NGO in Botswana that identifies, adapts, and scales evidence-based health and education initiatives, such as the Zones and Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) programs. The first COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Botswana on March 31 . When the government closed schools, Young 1ove rapidly mobilized to collect 10,000 students’ mobile numbers to provide text-message based instruction, and established hotlines to answer questions from parents and students. Young 1ove is also working with television and radio programs to deliver proven life-saving messages. A trusted government partner, Young 1ove is sourcing educational content and developing strategies to support nationwide distance learning, and working with government officials to plan for scaling these approaches. Distance learning has significant potential in a large but sparsely populated country such as Botswana where 2.3 million people inhabit a space roughly the size of Texas.

Leveraging deep roots within communities . Marginalized communities are most at risk of suffering from the pandemic. In these areas, schools provide not only instruction but also additional life-saving needs, such as food and psycho-social support. The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Tanzania on March 16, and, when schools quickly shuttered, this school-based support disappeared. CUE’s scaling lab partner, CAMFED , is a nongovernmental organization that supports marginalized girls to complete secondary school and empowers them to become independent women through leadership training and membership in the CAMFED Association . A key component is Learner Guides , female secondary-school graduates who volunteer for 18 months to serve as mentors at local schools delivering a life-skills curriculum to complement academic teaching. They come from the places they serve, and have a deep understanding of the unique challenges marginalized communities face. Learner Guides have expanded their roles to meet these challenges during the pandemic, working with families in their communities, sharing official World Health Organization and government guidance, and improvising learning opportunities for students while schools remain closed. When schools eventually reopen, Learner Guides will play a critical role in ensuring girls who are most vulnerable to child marriage and dropout return to their classrooms. CAMFED’s work reinforces the importance of community-driven responses to the crisis; similar grassroots mobilization helped Sierra Leone confront the Ebola pandemic in 2014.

Sharing knowledge. Global crises such as COVID-19 have a unique ability to bring the world together. Every country is facing a common threat, and there is much we can learn from each other about how to minimize negative impact on education systems. Several promising resources have already emerged; UNESCO curated a robust list of distance-learning solutions for parents and educators, the World Bank shared practical tips and guidance , and the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) created an online repository of blogs, webinars, and other helpful resources to support its 16,000 members. The network of Real-time Scaling Labs has remained in close virtual touch over the past weeks, using Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp to share stories and learn from each other about how to move forward despite the new challenges. Though the virus continues to uniquely impact every country, it has emphasized that education actors have much to learn from each other as they collectively weather the storm.

Embracing windows of opportunity . The Jordanian government closed schools to curb the spread of the virus after cases increased in late March. CUE has partnered with INJAZ , a social enterprise that builds youth competencies in financial education and entrepreneurship. These skills will be critical to stabilizing Jordan’s economy and creating jobs in the wake of the pandemic. INJAZ and the Ministry of Education had been planning to introduce online delivery of financial education in the coming years, but have seized the unanticipated opportunity presented by the pandemic to pilot online classes for grades 11 and 12 immediately. The Jordan Real-time Scaling Lab is documenting this pilot process so that the ministry of education has practical guidance and recommendations about how to deliver e-learning at a larger scale in the future.

The world faces significant challenges in addressing the immediate and longer term effects of the pandemic on education systems. But the commitment of global education actors, including CUE’s scaling lab partners, in finding new and innovative ways to deliver quality education should provide us all with a sense of hope. Crises showcase leadership. If the international education community can come together and learn from each other about new ways of providing quality education, it will emerge better equipped to help students thrive in a rapidly changing world.

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Quality education an ‘essential pillar’ of a better future, says UN chief

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Education is an “essential pillar” to achieving the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN chief António Guterres told an audience on Tuesday at the Paris headquarters of UNESCO, the UN Educational, Scientific and Culture Organization, ahead of the agency’s General Conference .

We must ensure universal access to basic education for every child, everywhere. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President, UN General Assembly

Mr. Guterres, who noted that one-fifth of young people are out of work, lack education or adequate training, praised UNESCO ’s fundamental role in coordinating and monitoring global efforts, such as the agency’s initiative on the future of education.

The theme was taken up by Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the UN General Assembly, in his opening remarks to a ministerial meeting on education at the Conference.

Mr. Muhammad-Bande referred to estimates showing that some 265 million children are out of school. The number is projected to fall to 220 million over the next decade, but he declared that the illiteracy figures forecast for 2030 remain a scandal: “We must remove all barriers to education. We must ensure, at a minimum, universal access to basic education for every child, everywhere.”

He also highlighted the importance of educating children effectively, and equipping them with the necessary analytical and critical thinking abilities, in “an ever-changing and more complex world”.

Recalling his former experience as an educator in his home country of Nigeria, Mr. Muhammad-Bande called for more efforts to ensure that teachers are adequately qualified, because “no educational system can rise above the quality of its teachers”.

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General

Other important measures cited by the General Assembly President include strong curricula that fully integrate Information and Communications Technology (ICT); ensuring that girls complete at least 12 years of education (which, according to the World Bank, would add some $30 trillion to the global economy); and the effective monitoring and evaluation of learning.

Mr. Muhammad-Bande called on nations to meet their commitments to education spending, and for donor countries to increase international aid directed towards education.

‘Powerful agents of change’

As well as the difficulties in accessing quality education, Mr. Guterres also outlined several other challenges faced by young people: the fact that millions of girls become mothers while they are still children; that one quarter are affected by violence or conflict; and that online bullying and harassment are adding to high levels of stress, which see some 67,000 adolescents die from suicide or self-harm every year.

World leaders, and others who wield power, he continued, must treat young people not as subjects to be protected, but as powerful agents for change, and the role of the powerful is not to solve the enormous challenges faced by young people, but rather to give them the tools to tackle their problems.

Mr Guterres underscored the importance of bringing young people to the table as key partners, and praised UNESCO’s efforts to include their voices, which include holding a major event at the General Conference, and the Youth Forum .

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GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.  This goal supports the reduction of disparities and inequities in education, both in terms of access and quality. It recognizes the need to provide quality education for all, and most especially vulnerable populations, including poor children, children living in rural areas, persons with disabilities, indigenous people and refugee children.

This goal is of critical importance because of its transformative effects on the other SDGs. Sustainable development hinges on every child receiving a quality education. When children are offered the tools to develop to their full potential, they become productive adults ready to give back to their communities and break the cycle of poverty. Education enables upward socioeconomic mobility.

Significant progress was achieved during the last decade in increasing access to education and school enrolment rates at all levels, particularly for girls. Despite these gains, about 260 million children were out of school in 2018, nearly one fifth of the global population in that age group. Furthermore, more than half of all children and adolescents worldwide are failing to meet minimum proficiency standards in reading and mathematics.

UNICEF’s contribution towards reaching this goal centres on equity and inclusion to provide all children with quality learning opportunities and skills development programmes, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF works with governments worldwide to raise the quality and inclusiveness of schools.  

UNICEF is custodian for global monitoring of Indicator 4.2.1 Percentage of children (aged 24–59 months) developmentally on track in at least 3 of the 4 following domains: literacy-numeracy, physical, socio-emotional and learning.

Child-related SDG indicators

Target 4.1 by 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.

Proportion of children and young people: (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex

• Indicator definition
• Computation method
• Comments & limitations

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The indicator aims to measure the percentage of children and young people who have achieved the minimum learning outcomes in reading and mathematics during or at the end of the relevant stages of education.

The higher the figure, the higher the proportion of children and/or young people reaching at least minimum proficiency in the respective domain (reading or mathematic) with the limitations indicated under the “Comments and limitations” section.

The indicator is also a direct measure of the learning outcomes achieved in the two subject areas at the end of the relevant stages of education. The three measurement points will have their own established minimum standard. There is only one threshold that divides students into above and below minimum:

Below minimum refers to the proportion or percentage of students who do not achieve a minimum standard as set up by countries according to the globally-defined minimum competencies.

Above minimum refers to the proportion or percentage of students who have achieved the minimum standards. Due to heterogeneity of performance levels set by national and cross-national assessments, these performance levels will have to be mapped to the globally-defined minimum performance levels. Once the performance levels are mapped, the global education community will be able to identify for each country the proportion or percentage of children who achieved minimum standards.

(a) Minimum proficiency level (MPL) is the benchmark of basic knowledge in a domain (mathematics, reading, etc.) measured through learning assessments. In September 2018, an agreement was reached on a verbal definition of the global minimum proficiency level of reference for each of the areas and domains of Indicator 4.1.1 as described in the document entitled: Minimum Proficiency Levels (MPLs): Outcomes of the consensus building meeting ( http://gaml.uis.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/02/MPLs_revised_doc_20190204.docx ).

Minimum proficiency levels (MPLs) defined by each learning assessment to ensure comparability across learning assessments; a verbal definition of MPL for each domain and levels between cross-national assessments (CNAs) were established by conducting an analysis of the performance level descriptors, the descriptions of the performance levels to express the knowledge and skills required to achieve each performance level by domain, of cross-national, regional and community-led tests in reading and mathematics. The analysis was led and completed by the UIS and a consensus among experts on the proposed methodology was deemed adequate and pragmatic.

The global MPL definitions for the domains of reading and mathematics are presented here (insert link)

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reading test has six proficiency levels, of which Level 2 is described as the minimum proficiency level. In Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), there are four proficiency levels: Low, Intermediate, High and Advanced. Students reaching the Intermediate benchmark are able to apply basic knowledge in a variety of situations, similar to the idea of minimum proficiency. Currently, there are no common standards validated by the international community or countries. The indicator shows data published by each of the agencies and organizations specialised in cross-national learning assessments.

(a) The number of children and/or young people at the relevant stage of education n in year t achieving at least the pre-defined proficiency level in subject s expressed as a percentage of the number of children and/or young people at stage of education n, in year t, in any proficiency level in subjects.

Harmonize various data sources To address the challenges posed by the limited capacity of some countries to implement cross- national, regional and national assessments, actions have been taken by the UIS and its partners. The strategies are used according to its level of precision and following a reporting protocol ( http://gaml.uis.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/GAML6-WD-2-Protocol-for-reporting-4.1.1_v1.pdf ) that includes the national assessments under specific circumstances.

Out-of-school children In 2016, 263 million children, adolescents and youth were out of school, representing nearly one-fifth of the global population of this age group. 63 million, or 24% of the total, are children of primary school age (typically 6 to 11 years old); 61 million, or 23% of the total, are adolescents of lower secondary school age (typically 12 to 14 years old); and 139 million, or 53% of the total, are youth of upper secondary school age (about 15 to 17 years old). Not all these kids will be permanently outside school, some will re-join the educational system and, eventually, complete late, while some of them will enter late. The quantity varies per country and region and demands some adjustment in the estimate of Indicator 4.1.1. There is currently a discussion on how to implement these adjustments to reflect all the population. In 2017, the UIS proposed to make adjustments using the out-of-school children and the completion rates.( http://uis.unesco.org/en/blog/helping-countries-improve-their-data-out-school-children ) and the completion rates.

Learning outcomes from cross-national learning assessment are directly comparable for all countries which participated in the same cross-national learning assessments. However, these outcomes are not comparable across different cross-national learning assessments or with national learning assessments. A level of comparability of learning outcomes across assessments could be achieved by using different methodologies, each with varying standard errors. The period of 2020-2021 will shed light on the standard errors’ size for these methodologies.

The comparability of learning outcomes over time has additional complications, which require, ideally, to design and implement a set of comparable items as anchors in advance. Methodological developments are underway to address comparability of assessments outcomes over time.

While data from many national assessments are available now, every country sets its own standards so the performance levels might not be comparable. One option is to link existing regional assessments based on a common framework. Furthermore, assessments are typically administered within school systems, the current indicators cover only those in school and the proportion of in-school target populations might vary from country to country due to varied out-of-school children populations. Assessing competencies of children and young people who are out of school would require household-based surveys. Assessing children in households is under consideration but may be very costly and difficult to administer and unlikely to be available on the scale needed within the next 3-5 years. Finally, the calculation of this indicator requires specific information on the ages of children participating in assessments to create globally-comparable data. The ages of children reported by the head of the household might not be consistent and reliable so the calculation of the indicator may be even more challenging. Due to the complication in assessing out-of-school children and the main focus on improving education system, the UIS is taking a stepping stone approach. It will concentrate on assessing children in school in the medium term, where much data are available, then develop more coherent implementation plan to assess out-of-school children in the longer term.

Click on the button below to explore the data behind this indicator.

Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)

A completion rate of 100% indicates that all children and adolescents have completed a level of education by the time they are 3 to 5 years older than the official age of entry into the last grade of that level of education. A low completion rate indicates low or delayed entry into a given level of education, high drop-out, high repetition, late completion, or a combination of these factors.

Percentage of a cohort of children or young people aged 3-5 years above the intended age for the last grade of each level of education who have completed that grade.

The intended age for the last grade of each level of education is the age at which pupils would enter the grade if they had started school at the official primary entrance age, had studied full-time and had progressed without repeating or skipping a grade.

For example, if the official age of entry into primary education is 6 years, and if primary education has 6 grades, the intended age for the last grade of primary education is 11 years. In this case, 14-16 years (11 + 3 = 14 and 11 + 5 = 16) would be the reference age group for calculation of the primary completion rate.

The number of persons in the relevant age group who have completed the last grade of a given level of education is divided by the total population (in the survey sample) of the same age group.

The age group 3-5 years above the official age of entry into the last grade for a given level of education was selected for the calculation of the completion rate to allow for some delayed entry or repetition. In countries where entry can occur very late or where repetition is common, some children or adolescents in the age group examined may still attend school and the eventual rate of completion may therefore be underestimated.

The indicator is calculated from household survey data and is subject to time lag in the availability of data. When multiple surveys are available, they may provide conflicting information due to the possible presence of sampling and non-sampling errors in survey data. The Technical Cooperation Group on the Indicators for SDG 4 – Education 2030 (TCG) has requested a refinement of the methodology to model completion rate estimates, following an approach similar to that used for the estimation of child mortality rates. The model would ensure that common challenges with household survey data, such as timeliness and sampling or non-sampling errors are addressed to provide up-to-date and more robust data.

TARGET 4.2 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education

Proportion of children aged 24-59 months of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex.

Early childhood development (ECD) sets the stage for life-long thriving. Investing in ECD is one of the most critical and cost-effective investments a country can make to improve adult health, education and productivity in order to build human capital and promote sustainable development. ECD is equity from the start and provides a good indication of national development. Efforts to improve ECD can bring about human, social and economic improvements for both individuals and societies.

The recommended measure for SDG 4.2.1 is the Early Childhood Development Index 2030 (ECDI2030) which is a 20-item instrument to measure developmental outcomes among children aged 24 to 59 months in population-based surveys. The indicator derived from the ECDI2030 is the proportion of children aged 24 to 59 months who have achieved the minimum number of milestones expected for their age group, defined as follows:

– Children age 24 to 29 months are classified as developmentally on-track if they have achieved at least 7 milestones – Children age 30 to 35 months are classified as developmentally on-track if they have achieved at least 9 milestones – Children age 36 to 41 months are classified as developmentally on-track if they have achieved at least 11 milestones – Children age 42 to 47 months are classified as developmentally on-track if they have achieved at least 13 milestones – Children age 48 to 59 months are classified as developmentally on-track if they have achieved at least 15 milestones

SDG indicator 4.2.1 is intended to capture the multidimensional and holistic nature of early childhood development. For this reason, the indicator is not intended to be disaggregated by domains since development in all areas (health, learning and psychosocial wellbeing) are interconnected and overlapping, particularly among young children. The indicator is intended to produce a single summary score to indicate the proportion of children considered to be developmentally on track.

The domains included in the indicator for SDG indicator 4.2.1 include the following concepts:

Health: gross motor development, fine motor development and self-care Learning: expressive language, literacy, numeracy, pre-writing, and executive functioning Psychosocial well-being: emotional skills, social skills, internalizing behavior, and externalizing behavior

The number of children aged 24 to 59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being divided by the total number of children aged 24 to 59 months in the population multiplied by 100.

SDG 4.2.1 was initially classified as Tier 3 and was upgraded to Tier 2 in 2019; additionally, changes to the indicator were made during the 2020 comprehensive review. In light of this and given that the ECDI2030 was officially released in March 2020, it will take some time for country uptake and implementation of the new measure and for data to become available from a sufficiently large enough number of countries. Therefore, in the meantime, a proxy indicator (children aged 36-59 months who are developmentally ontrack in at least three of the following four domains: literacy-numeracy, physical, social-emotional and learning) will be used to report on 4.2.1, when relevant. This proxy indicator has been used for global SDG reporting since 2015 but is not fully aligned with the definition and age group covered by the SDG indicator formulation. When the proxy indicator is used for SDG reporting on 4.2.1 for a country, it will be footnoted as such in the global SDG database.

Click on the button below to explore the data behind this indicator’s proxy; Children aged 36-59 months who are developmentally ontrack in at least three of the following four domains: literacy-numeracy, physical, social-emotional and learning . For more information about this proxy indicator, please see “Comments and Limitations”

Adjusted net attendance rate, one year before the official primary entry age

The indicator measures children’s exposure to organized learning activities in the year prior to the official age to start of primary school as a representation of access to quality early childhood care and pre-primary education. One year prior to the start of primary school is selected for international comparison. A high value of the indicator shows a high degree of participation in organized learning immediately before the official entrance age to primary education.

The participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex as defined as the percentage of children in the given age range who participate in one or more organized learning programme, including programmes which offer a combination of education and care. Participation in early childhood and in primary education are both included. The age range will vary by country depending on the official age for entry to primary education.

An organized learning programme is one which consists of a coherent set or sequence of educational activities designed with the intention of achieving pre-determined learning outcomes or the accomplishment of a specific set of educational tasks. Early childhood and primary education programmes are examples of organized learning programmes.

Early childhood and primary education are defined in the 2011 revision of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011). Early childhood education is typically designed with a holistic approach to support children’s early cognitive, physical, social and emotional development and to introduce young children to organized instruction outside the family context. Primary education offers learning and educational activities designed to provide students with fundamental skills in reading, writing and mathematics and establish a solid foundation for learning and understanding core areas of knowledge and personal development. It focuses on learning at a basic level of complexity with little, if any, specialisation.

The official primary entry age is the age at which children are obliged to start primary education according to national legislation or policies. Where more than one age is specified, for example, in different parts of a country, the most common official entry age (i.e. the age at which most children in the country are expected to start primary) is used for the calculation of this indicator at the global level.

The number of children in the relevant age group who participate in an organized learning programme is expressed as a percentage of the total population in the same age range. From household surveys, both enrolments and population are collected at the same time.

Participation in learning programmes in the early years is not full time for many children, meaning that exposure to learning environments outside of the home will vary in intensity. The indicator measures the percentage of children who are exposed to organized learning but not the intensity of the programme, which limits the ability to draw conclusions on the extent to which this target is being achieved. More work is needed to ensure that the definition of learning programmes is consistent across various surveys and defined in a manner that is easily understood by survey respondents, ideally with complementary information collected on the amount of time children spend in learning programmes.

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

Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service.

This indicator measures the presence of basic services and facilities in school that are necessary to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for all students. A high value indicates that schools have good access to the relevant services and facilities. Ideally each school should have access to all these services and facilities.

The percentage of schools by level of education (primary education) with access to the given facility or service

Electricity: Regularly and readily available sources of power (e.g. grid/mains connection, wind, water, solar and fuel-powered generator, etc.) that enable the adequate and sustainable use of ICT infrastructure for educational purposes.

Internet for pedagogical purposes: Internet that is available for enhancing teaching and learning and is accessible by pupils. Internet is defined as a worldwide interconnected computer network, which provides pupils access to a number of communication services including the World Wide Web and carries e-mail, news, entertainment and data files, irrespective of the device used (i.e. not assumed to be only via a computer) and thus can also be accessed by mobile telephone, tablet, PDA, games machine, digital TV etc.). Access can be via a fixed narrowband, fixed broadband, or via mobile network.

Computers for pedagogical use: Use of computers to support course delivery or independent teaching and learning needs. This may include activities using computers or the Internet to meet information needs for research purposes; develop presentations; perform hands-on exercises and experiments; share information; and participate in online discussion forums for educational purposes. A computer is a programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve and process data, as well as share information in a highly-structured manner. It performs high-speed mathematical or logical operations according to a set of instructions or algorithms.

Computers include the following types: -A desktop computer usually remains fixed in one place; normally the user is placed in front of it, behind the keyboard; – A laptop computer is small enough to carry and usually enables the same tasks as a desktop computer; it includes notebooks and netbooks but does not include tablets and similar handheld devices; and – A tablet (or similar handheld computer) is a computer that is integrated into a flat touch screen, operated by touching the screen rather than using a physical keyboard.

Adapted infrastructure is defined as any built environment related to education facilities that are accessible to all users, including those with different types of disability, to be able to gain access to use and exit from them. Accessibility includes ease of independent approach, entry, evacuation and/or use of a building and its services and facilities (such as water and sanitation), by all of the building’s potential users with an assurance of individual health, safety and welfare during the course of those activities.

Adapted materials include learning materials and assistive products that enable students and teachers with disabilities/functioning limitations to access learning and to participate fully in the school environment.

Accessible learning materials include textbooks, instructional materials, assessments and other materials that are available and provided in appropriate formats such as audio, braille, sign language and simplified formats that can be used by students and teachers with disabilities/functioning limitations.

Basic drinking water is defined as a functional drinking water source (MDG ‘improved’ categories) on or near the premises and water points accessible to all users during school hours.

Basic sanitation facilities are defined as functional sanitation facilities (MDG ‘improved’ categories) separated for males and females on or near the premises.

Basic handwashing facilities are defined as functional handwashing facilities, with soap and water available to all girls and boys.

The number of schools in a given level of education with access to the relevant facilities is expressed as a percentage of all schools at that level of education.

The indicator measures the existence in schools of the given service or facility but not its quality or operational state.

For every child to learn, UNICEF has eight key asks of governments:

• A demonstration of how the SDG 4 global ambitions are being nationalized into plans, policies, budgets, data collection efforts and reports.
• A renewed commitment to education to recover learning losses and manage impacts of COVID-19.
• The implementation and scaling of digital learning solutions and innovations to reimagine education.
• Attention to skills development should be a core component to education.
• Focus to provide quality education to the most vulnerable – including girls, children affected by conflict and crisis, children with disabilities, refugees and displaced children.
• A continued commitment to improving access to pre-primary, primary and secondary education for all, including for children from minority groups and those with disabilities.
• A renewed focus on learning outcomes and their enablers, including learning in safe and adequate environments, support by well-trained teachers and structured content.
• The implementation of SDG-focused learning throughout schools to raise awareness and inspire positive action.

Learn more about  UNICEF’s key asks for implementing Goal 4

See more Sustainable Development Goals

ZERO HUNGER

GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

QUALITY EDUCATION

GENDER EQUALITY

CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

REDUCED INEQUALITIES

CLIMATE ACTION

PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

The Ongoing Challenges, and Possible Solutions, to Improving Educational Equity

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Schools across the country were already facing major equity challenges before the pandemic, but the disruptions it caused exacerbated them.

After students came back to school buildings after more than a year of hybrid schooling, districts were dealing with discipline challenges and re-segregating schools. In a national EdWeek Research Center survey from October, 65 percent of the 824 teachers, and school and district leaders surveyed said they were more concerned now than before the pandemic about closing academic opportunity gaps that impact learning for students of different races, socioeconomic levels, disability categories, and English-learner statuses.

But educators trying to prioritize equity have an uphill battle to overcome these challenges, especially in the face of legislation and school policies attempting to fight equity initiatives across the country.

The pandemic and the 2020 murder of George Floyd drove many districts to recognize longstanding racial disparities in academics, discipline, and access to resources and commit to addressing them. But in 2021, a backlash to such equity initiatives accelerated, and has now resulted in 18 states passing laws restricting lessons on race and racism, and many also passing laws restricting the rights and well-being of LGBTQ students.

This slew of Republican-driven legislation presents a new hurdle for districts looking to address racial and other inequities in public schools.

During an Education Week K-12 Essentials forum last week, journalists, educators, and researchers talked about these challenges, and possible solutions to improving equity in education.

Takeru Nagayoshi, who was the Massachusetts teacher of the year in 2020, and one of the speakers at the forum, said he never felt represented as a gay, Asian kid in public school until he read about the Stonewall Riots, the Civil Rights Movement, and the full history of marginalized groups working together to change systems of oppression.

“Those are the learning experiences that inspired me to be a teacher and to commit to a life of making our country better for everyone,” he said.

“Our students really benefit the most when they learn about themselves and the world that they’re in. They’re in a safe space with teachers who provide them with an honest education and accurate history.”

Here are some takeaways from the discussion:

Schools are still heavily segregated

Almost 70 years after the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, most students attend schools where they see a majority of other students of their racial demographics .

Black students, who accounted for 15 percent of public school enrollment in 2019, attended schools where Black students made up an average of 47 percent of enrollment, according to a UCLA report.

They attended schools with a combined Black and Latinx enrollment averaging 67 percent, while Latinx students attended schools with a combined Black and Latinx enrollment averaging 66 percent.

Overall, the proportion of schools where the majority of students are not white increased from 14.8 percent of schools in 2003 to 18.2 percent in 2016.

“Predominantly minority schools [get] fewer resources, and that’s one problem, but there’s another problem too, and it’s a sort of a problem for democracy,” said John Borkowski, education lawyer at Husch Blackwell.

“I think it’s much better for a multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy, when people have opportunities to interact with one another, to learn together, you know, and you see all of the problems we’ve had in recent years with the rising of white supremacy, and white supremacist groups.”

School discipline issues were exacerbated because of student trauma

In the absence of national data on school discipline, anecdotal evidence and expert interviews suggest that suspensions—both in and out of school—and expulsions, declined when students went remote.

In 2021, the number of incidents increased again when most students were back in school buildings, but were still lower than pre-pandemic levels , according to research by Richard Welsh, an associate professor of education and public policy at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education.

But forum attendees, who were mostly district and school leaders as well as teachers, disagreed, with 66 percent saying that the pandemic made school incidents warranting discipline worse. That’s likely because of heightened student trauma from the pandemic. Eighty-three percent of forum attendees who responded to a spot survey said they had noticed an increase in behavioral issues since resuming in-person school.

Restorative justice in education is gaining popularity

One reason Welsh thought discipline incidents did not yet surpass pre-pandemic levels despite heightened student trauma is the adoption of restorative justice practices, which focus on conflict resolution, understanding the causes of students’ disruptive behavior, and addressing the reason behind it instead of handing out punishments.

Kansas City Public Schools is one example of a district that has had improvement with restorative justice, with about two thirds of the district’s 35 schools seeing a decrease in suspensions and expulsions in 2021 compared with 2019.

Forum attendees echoed the need for or success of restorative justice, with 36 percent of those who answered a poll within the forum saying restorative justice works in their district or school, and 27 percent saying they wished their district would implement some of its tenets.

However, 12 percent of poll respondents also said that restorative justice had not worked for them. Racial disparities in school discipline also still persist, despite restorative justice being implemented, which indicates that those practices might not be ideal for addressing the over-disciplining of Black, Latinx, and other historically marginalized students.

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Digital gap in universities and challenges for quality education: a diagnostic study in mexico and spain.

1. Introduction

Theoretical background, 2. materials and methods.

• Information and communication technology appropriation strategic commitment.
• Information and communication technology infrastructure access.
• Digital skills building for faculty.
• Learning and knowledge technology integration in the curricula.
• Organization and collaboration technology appropriation.

3.1. Definition of Dimensions and Their Components

3.1.1. information and communications technologies (icts), 3.1.2. learning and knowledge technologies (lkts), 3.1.3. organization and collaboration technologies (octs), 3.2. field study, 3.2.1. spanish university 1, 3.2.2. spanish university 2, 3.2.3. spanish university 3, 3.2.4. mexican university 1, 3.2.5. mexican university 2, 3.2.6. mexican university 3, 3.2.7. mexican university 4, 3.3. data analysis, 4. discussion, 5. conclusions, author contributions, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

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Rodríguez-Abitia, G.; Martínez-Pérez, S.; Ramirez-Montoya, M.S.; Lopez-Caudana, E. Digital Gap in Universities and Challenges for Quality Education: A Diagnostic Study in Mexico and Spain. Sustainability 2020 , 12 , 9069. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219069

Rodríguez-Abitia G, Martínez-Pérez S, Ramirez-Montoya MS, Lopez-Caudana E. Digital Gap in Universities and Challenges for Quality Education: A Diagnostic Study in Mexico and Spain. Sustainability . 2020; 12(21):9069. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219069

Rodríguez-Abitia, Guillermo, Sandra Martínez-Pérez, Maria Soledad Ramirez-Montoya, and Edgar Lopez-Caudana. 2020. "Digital Gap in Universities and Challenges for Quality Education: A Diagnostic Study in Mexico and Spain" Sustainability 12, no. 21: 9069. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219069

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SDG 4 | Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

The SDG 4 Goal Profile uses a mix of global and proxy indicators (from thematic indicator set) to measure the progress as not all the global indicators are available in the region or the coverage of available global indicators are limited except for target 4.2 and target 4.c. For example, for target 4.1, only 19 countries have data for the global indicator whereas the proxy indicator – out of school rate for primary school-age children - has a coverage of 43 countries. The coverage of indicators used is high for targets 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.6 and 4.c, whereas the indicators for targets 4.4 and 4.a have limited coverage. Targets 4.7 and 4.b also do not have enough data to monitor the progress in the region. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) is the custodian agency for collecting, compiling, generating and disseminating SDG 4 indicators. The main source of data used for analyzing the progress come from UIS. For the purpose of this Goal Profile, UNESCAP received the data from UIS and made them available to UNESCO Bangkok and UIS-AIMS for analysis. 

Related links

Related items.

• Region: Asia and the Pacific
• Languages: English
• Themes: Data management
• SDG & Targets: 4.1 Universal primary and secondary education
• SDG & Targets: 4.2 Early childhood development and universal pre-primary education
• SDG & Targets: 4.3 Equal access to technical/vocational and higher education
• SDG & Targets: 4.6 Universal Youth Literacy
• Categories: Factsheet
• Source: UNESCO
• See more add

What do we mean by Quality Education?

Back in September 2015, world leaders adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , one of which focuses solely on quality education. Goal 4 seeks to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning—a goal Wellspring’s work is centred around.

​​For Wellspring, quality education is this and more. Quality education empowers children to be who God created them to be. It places children at the center of their learning and sees them treated with dignity and worth. It sees that each child has God-given potential, and it helps them step into their unique giftings to reach it. Quality education gives every child the opportunity to thrive. It is inclusive , and ensures they every child has the resources, attention, and focus they need to effectively learn. The provision of quality education gives students the space to dream about their future, and the tools to make them come true as a result.

The provision of quality education depends on each member of the education ecosystem playing their unique role—whether a parent helping with homework, a teacher giving a student their one-on-one attention, or a school leader casting vision for their school.

When students access quality education, they’re equipped with the knowledge and character to impact their lives, community and the world.

Other Foundational Pieces

We are sharing these Foundational Pieces to help you learn more about who we are and what we do.

What Are Some of the Current Challenges in Quality Education?

What are Barriers to Girls’ Education?

Why Does Education Matter?

Challenges to quality education

Quality education: broad, right-based definition.

“Concerning quality education, nothing is more important than to make sure that you do not define quality education in a narrow way: quality education is broad, not only in its purpose, but also in terms of what it entails.

“I sometimes say that even if you have 90 per cent of children at school, you will still not be really close to a quality education system if the 10 per cent who are left out are the most vulnerable, because you do not have an equality focus.

“When we look at quality education, we therefore need to not only look at the aggregated numbers, we have to disaggregate them and look at what is the situation for girls, for children with special needs, for Indigenous groups. We have to check that we have a system that is actually reaching out to all.

“That is very important today, when everything is measured by numbers, because you can have positive numbers overall, but if minorities are not included because they do not create a big impact on the statistics, you certainly cannot consider that you have achieved universal quality education for all.

“So, quality comes into the content of education, which must be sensitive to diversity, and extends into teachers’ training, teaching and learning materials, the curriculum and textbooks.”

Pakistan: Hierarchy of exclusion

“You will see a lot of the same things in Pakistan.

“There is also a pyramid when it comes to access to education and we know, more or less, who will be the last ones to be included: usually, you reach the cities before you reach the rural areas; you reach boys before girls; you reach the mainstream population before the indigenous populations or the minorities; you reach the students with no special needs before the students with special needs.

“You can see that hierarchy in Pakistan. Cities have a higher school enrolment rate than rural areas where there are many communities with no schools at all. And we know that the enrolment rate for girls is much lower than that of the boys.

Girls’ education hampered by culture and tradition

“Now, our special focus in Pakistan is girls because their rate of school participation and completion is low, and the country has a very high drop-out rate too, both for boys and girls, but especially for girls.

“It is not the only country, but it is an example of a country where, in addition to working on the infrastructure, financing and public policies, they have to work on the cultural aspect and the attitudes, particularly with regards to girls’ education. Some will say it is a religious matter: I do not know how much of it is religious, but to me it is more of a cultural and traditional aspect.

“There are fundamentalists connected to the Taliban who actively work against girls having an education, shamelessly destroying schools providing education to girls, attacking them, threatening parents and girls against school participation. They always see girls’ education as a threat, particularly because being educated also means that you become independent.

“Some of this is just an inherited attitude and way of doing things. So, you need to work across a broad spectrum and also on changing attitudes, and that has to be done from within. I do not believe that we can or even should come from the outside and tell them what the right attitude is. However, we can support those who are working towards girls’ education, starting with local communities, and convincing them that this is good for their girls.

“I wish to stress that there are success stories: the rate of participation is increasing and you see girls who are breaking through social classes, coming out of poverty and managing to get an education, then becoming role models themselves.

“In Pakistan, they have just held elections, so I think it is important to seize the momentum. With the new government getting into place after the elections, things will hopefully calm down.

EI’s collaboration to advocate for education

“We came together with our affiliates and other cooperating partners such as the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown. We got together to join forces, as in Haiti, to put demands on the government to have a development plan and a follow-up of this plan’s implementation.

“EI will also shortly launch a scholarship fund in Pakistan focusing on girls’ education.

“Above all, we want to sure that when violent people kill teachers, kill students, oppose girls’ education, they know that we are watching them. This is about putting the spotlight on what is happening, mobilising the local and global communities into distancing themselves from this terrible attitude. It is also about supporting those who are brave enough not to give up on a good cause and who need to know that they are not alone in their struggle to ensure quality education for all, including girls and women.

“I believe that Malala Day, the initiative by the UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown, to be celebrated on November 10, is about the same thing: Malala is one girl, a symbol of bravery and fighting for a very important cause, i.e. girls’ education. On that day, we will be focusing on girls’ education all over the world, not just in Pakistan.

Emergency assistance to help rebuilding efforts

“Then there is the question of where do you start: that is why EI went into Haiti with emergency assistance, helping affiliates and teachers to get the basic infrastructure back after the earthquake hit.

“Now, they still have not rebuilt the country completely, and our support is increasingly directed at supporting our affiliates in building a coalition for quality public education in the country. We focus on how teachers, as professionals, and their unions can become agents and solutions to develop a quality public education system.

“With January’s mission, we were able to support our affiliates in not only having their campaign to build a quality public education system in Haiti, but also in bringing this campaign to the authorities, having a dialogue and cooperation with the latter to move forward.  We want to influence authorities with the right suggestions.

Haiti: Small, sustainable steps towards quality education under teachers’ supervision

“In Haiti, the government has developed a good plan on how to move forward. EI and its affiliates are the experts on what needs doing, but are also watchdogs monitoring that the plan for education is actually implemented. It is a difficult role to take, as you cannot expect to have quality public education for all children tomorrow in this country, so you have to agree to take one step at a time, sustainable steps building on each other for the future.

“While Haiti has to work to developing public education, it also has to work on its teacher training, higher education and curriculum development.

“Even if the Government itself does not have the money to finance the public sector, it can get involved and start taking control through teacher training and curriculum development.

“It is all about finding the right way forward and it is different for every country, because they have different levels of development.

Haiti lacks the money and the infrastructure; to a certain extent, it also lacks the public policies, but it is getting some of these in place, and teachers are crucial to implementing education policies.

“Haiti is a very good example in that respect: 85 per cent of education there is private. We can go into Haiti and take control of the national education system - but you have to realise that, even if you put the whole national public budget on the table, you would not be able to fund education for all. There is a big challenge in building a public sector in Haiti, because politicians actually do not have control over what public services should be.

“Furthermore, if you want to develop a country as an independent country, you have to support the long-term development of the infrastructure of a political system and a public education system. This means that you need to link individual schools together in the same system.

Devastating natural disasters

“Also, natural disasters struck both Haiti and Pakistan. It is devastating for poor countries that so many of them have natural disasters: they are so severe when they strike because these countries do not have the funds to prevent or deal with the consequences afterwards.

“It is different in a society such as Japan, where [natural disaster awareness] is part of education and the whole society is trained on what to do when an earthquake disaster strikes. Some say that the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti was terrible, but it could have been a little better. Just look at the diseases that developed after the earthquake: if you had vaccination programmes, if you had had the knowledge that just by educating girls and women on the importance of letting your children have vaccination, you could have prevented some of the epidemics and diseases later. This is definitely a vicious circle where, in many ways, education is the solution and the tool to promote development.

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Challenges for Quality Management in Higher Education. Investigating institutional leadership, culture and performance

In an era of global economic recession, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are experiencing severe pressure from budget reduction. As a result, they have been forced to develop more competitive ways in order to tap on resources and capabilities stemming from contemporary rapid technological and organisational changes. Thus, quality management issues have drawn the interest of academics and practitioners in order to build a sustainable competitive advantage battling against economic recession (Altbach et al., 2009). Nowadays, Greek economic arduous position triggered off downsizing and cost reduction at unprecedented levels in the pubic sector, forewarning a similar orientation of retrenchment of higher education. Hence, resource scarcity and decline will guide inevitably to the corrosion of institutional effectiveness accompanied with lack of innovation, rigidity, dissatisfaction, conflict, reduced quality and turnover, unless HEIs adapt to the vulnerable environmental conditions ...

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Artificial Intelligence for Quality Education: Successes and Challenges for AI in Meeting SDG4

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• Tumaini Mwendile Kabudi   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3254-1106 18  

Part of the book series: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology ((IFIPAICT,volume 657))

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• International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries

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The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has brought significant transformations to traditional models of education. Despite its potential to provide quality education, AI applications in education raise significant concerns. The goal of this paper is to understand how to increase AI implementation in education by identifying practical benefits and challenges that must be addressed if AI is to be harnessed to achieve Sustainability Development Goal 4. Twenty-two interviews were conducted with AI experts. Several rounds of analysis of the interviews revealed five main themes: 1) the role of the teacher in AI in education (AIEd); 2) the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities; 3) racial and data bias in AIEd; 4) design issues of AI-enabled learning systems; 5) and commercialization of AI-enabled learning systems. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing research on AI in education and help build a better understanding of AI’s role in achieving SDGs.

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Kabudi, T.M. (2022). Artificial Intelligence for Quality Education: Successes and Challenges for AI in Meeting SDG4. In: Zheng, Y., Abbott, P., Robles-Flores, J.A. (eds) Freedom and Social Inclusion in a Connected World. ICT4D 2022. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 657. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19429-0_21

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Challenges In Quality Education And Ways To Improve It

Quality education is essential for the holistic development of students which goes beyond the traditional metrics of literacy and numeracy. In this article, we delve into the meaning, challenges of quality education, and some ways on how to improve quality education.

Understanding Quality Education

The meaning of quality education is dynamic and contextual, changing with societal needs and advancements. Broadly, it refers to an educational experience that is not only academically rigorous but also enriching in a way that fosters overall human development. This includes critical thinking, creativity, moral values, and interpersonal skills. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 underscores this, aiming to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

Challenges to Achieving Quality Education

Below are some of the key obstacles in the path to achieving quality education:

• Resource Constraints:

One of the most significant challenges is the lack of adequate resources. This includes insufficient funding, leading to poor infrastructure, lack of educational materials, and inadequate facilities. In many developing countries, schools often lack basic amenities like clean water, electricity, and proper sanitation, which are essential for a conducive learning environment.

• Inequality and Accessibility Issues:

Socio-economic factors play a significant role in determining access to quality education. Children from marginalised communities, rural areas, or low-income families often have limited access to quality education. Gender disparities further exacerbate this issue, with girls in many regions being disproportionately affected. Additionally, children with disabilities frequently face substantial barriers in accessing inclusive and quality education.

• Quality of Teaching and Teacher Training:

The effectiveness of an education system is highly dependent on the quality of its teachers. Many educational institutions suffer from a shortage of well-trained, qualified, and motivated teachers. Teacher training programs often lack depth and practicality, leaving teachers ill-prepared to meet the diverse needs of their students.

• Curriculum and Pedagogical Challenges:

Curricula in many educational systems are often outdated, lacking relevance to contemporary societal needs and global trends. There is a pressing need for curricula that not only focus on academic knowledge but also on critical thinking, creativity, and life skills. Furthermore, traditional pedagogical approaches may not effectively engage students or encourage active learning.

• Technological Divide:

While technology has the potential to revolutionise education, there exists a significant digital divide. Many schools, particularly in less affluent areas, lack access to modern technology and the internet, which hampers the integration of digital learning tools and resources in education.

• Political and Policy Challenges:

Education policies and political will greatly influence the quality of education. In some cases, political instability, policy inconsistencies, or lack of prioritisation of education in policy-making hinder the development and implementation of effective education strategies.

• Cultural and Societal Attitudes:

Societal norms and cultural attitudes towards education, particularly towards girls’ education, can pose significant challenges. In some societies, education is not seen as a priority, or there is a preference for traditional forms of learning, which can limit educational reforms and innovations.

• Monitoring and Evaluation:

A lack of effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms makes it difficult to assess the quality of education and the effectiveness of educational interventions. This lack of data and analysis impedes informed decision-making and policy development.

Also Read: What Are Three Obstacles Encountered by Early Childhood Education?

Ways to Improve Quality Education

Here are several key ways to enhance the quality of education:

• Increased Funding and Resource Allocation:

Allocate adequate funding to improve school infrastructure, educational materials, and technological resources. This includes building well-equipped classrooms, libraries, and laboratories, as well as providing access to modern technologies and high-speed internet.

• Teacher Training and Professional Development:

Invest in comprehensive teacher training programs that focus on both subject matter expertise and pedagogical skills. Continuous professional development opportunities should be provided to teachers to keep them abreast of the latest educational trends and methodologies.

• Curriculum Reform and Modernisation:

Update and modernise curricula to include a balance of core academic subjects, practical skills, and contemporary issues such as digital literacy, environmental education, and global citizenship. The curriculum should be flexible enough to adapt to local contexts and global changes.

• Student-Centred and Inclusive Learning Approaches:

Shift towards more student-centred learning approaches that cater to diverse learning styles and needs. This includes project-based learning, collaborative work, and critical thinking exercises. Education should be inclusive, catering to the needs of all students, including those with disabilities and special needs.

• Incorporation of Technology in Education:

Integrate technology into the education process effectively. This can be achieved through e-learning platforms, educational software, and online resources that complement traditional teaching methods and expand learning opportunities.

• Strengthening Early Childhood Education:

Focus on early childhood education as it lays the foundation for future learning. This involves providing access to quality pre-school education and early development programs.

• Community and Parental Involvement:

Encourage active involvement of parents and the community in the educational process. This can be achieved through parent-teacher associations, community educational projects, and feedback mechanisms that allow parents and community members to have a say in school governance.

• Regular Assessment and Feedback Mechanisms:

Implement regular assessments to monitor student progress and the effectiveness of teaching methods. Feedback mechanisms for students, teachers, and parents can provide valuable insights for continuous improvement.

• Emphasis on Holistic Education:

Beyond academic achievements, focus on the holistic development of students. This includes extracurricular activities, sports, arts, and fostering social and emotional learning.

• Policy Reforms and Governance:

Advocate for policy reforms that prioritise education. Effective governance and leadership in educational institutions are crucial for implementing these policies and ensuring accountability.

• International Collaboration and Exchange:

Engage in international collaborations and exchange programs to share knowledge, resources, and best practices in education. This can also include partnerships with global educational organisations and NGOs.

• Addressing Equity and Accessibility Issues:

Develop strategies to address equity and accessibility in education. This involves providing scholarships, free or subsidised education for underprivileged students, and ensuring schools are accessible to students from all backgrounds.

EuroSchool’s Mumbai , Hyderabad , Pune , and Bangalore campuses excel in delivering quality education, focusing on holistic development, modern curricula, and innovative teaching methodologies. Our commitment to fostering intellectual and creative abilities ensures an enriching learning experience. Discover this blend of excellence and innovation by checking out EuroSchool admission for a transformative educational journey.

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Scaling Data Warehouses in Education: Strategies for Managing Growing Data Demand

Approximately 74% of educational leaders report that data-driven decision-making enhances institutional performance and helps achieve academic goals. [1] 

Pinpointing effective data management strategies in education can make a profound impact on learning outcomes, student performance, and the success of learning institutions themselves. By scaling data systems in education, data teams can uncover new insights while keeping student data secure. 

Traditional Data Warehousing Challenges in Education

The increasing volume and complexity of data require new and improved data management strategies in education. Traditional data management strategies in education struggle to keep up with the need for efficiency and actionable insights, instead falling into the trap of siloed information. That’s where data automation comes into play. Automation streamlines data management by integrating systems, reducing manual work, and providing real-time insights. This ensures more efficient processes, faster decision-making, and enhanced data security across educational institutions. 

The Growing Demand for Robust Data Solutions

In order to overcome silos, inefficiencies, and lack of actionable insights in educational data management, many institutions turn to more robust data solutions. Advanced data management strategies in education allow teams to not only store data securely but also transform data into actionable insights that can guide strategic decisions for a brighter future. Scaling data systems in education allows institutions to see to the needs of their students while also complying with regulatory requirements and enhancing operational efficiency in the long term. 

The Role of Data Warehouses in Educational Institutions

Data warehousing in education helps institutions adapt to new requirements and integrate diverse data sources for improved data usability. Educational data management requires centralized solutions for storing, managing, and analyzing data. 

Centralizing Data for Better Decision-Making

Educational institutions can allocate resources more effectively by centralizing data. A centralized data warehouse breaks down silos to consolidate data into a single platform, bringing data sources from different departments and systems together to make it easier to analyze and interpret. Analysis from centralized data is more accurate and a centralized approach facilitates compliance with data governance standards. Centralized data warehousing in education enables data-driven decision-making to enhance student outcomes, streamline administrative processes, and optimize institutional resources. 

Strategies for Scaling Data Warehouses Effectively

Educational institutions face growing data demands and challenges. In response, it’s critical that institutions adopt strategies for effectively scaling data systems in education. 

Implementing Modular Architectures

Scalable data warehouses use a modular approach. Modular architecture allows for greater flexibility to scale over time. A modular architecture breaks down the data warehouse into smaller, more manageable components so that institutions can easily expand or modify specific areas of the data warehouse without unnecessary system disruptions. This way, teams can gradually implement new features and add new data without the risk of added downtime or system overload. 

Leveraging Cloud-Based Solutions

Cloud solutions for universities offer an efficient and cost-effective path for scaling. Cloud-based data warehouses provide virtually unlimited processing power and storage. Institutions can use cloud solutions for universities to accommodate growing volumes of data without needing to invest upfront in hardware. Most cloud solutions for universities also come with built-in security features and compliance tools. WhereScape simplifies the transition from on-prem to the cloud, providing secure, scalable solutions tailored for universities.

Enhancing Data Quality and Accessibility

In addition to offering scalability, data warehousing in education also enhances the quality and accessibility of crucial data. Toward that end, educational data management practices should prioritize standardization and automation. 

Standardizing Data for Consistency

Data management strategies in education must include systems for standardizing data formats. Implementing robust data governance practices to ensure a clean and consistent data warehouse leads to a more reliable and accessible source of information. In order for data from different sources to be integrated and analyzed, data teams must prioritize standardization. 

By adopting standardized data formats and definitions, educational institutions can eliminate the discrepancies and inconsistencies that can arise when data is collected from multiple sources. This not only simplifies data integration but also improves the accuracy of reporting and analytics, making the data more useful.

Utilizing Automation for Data Integration

Academic data cycles lend themselves to an ever-changing collection of data, often from disparate sources and departments including finance, HR, professors, and student information. Using automation for data integration in higher education allows for greater efficiency and accuracy. Data automation software like WhereScape paves the way for a reduction in manual coding and a newly cohesive data repository, saving time and providing actionable insights.

Case Studies: Success Stories in Education

Data warehousing in education can yield exciting results with significant long-term impacts. The following case studies illustrate the possible improvements institutions can expect when implementing targeted data management strategies in education.

Bucknell University’s Cloud Migration

Bucknell University sought out top cloud solutions for universities with the aim of adopting an agile, scalable new system. With the automation capabilities of WhereScape RED, Bucknell University created a new data warehouse in the cloud in 50% less time. The team developed data models quickly, validating and delivering new subject areas in the data warehouse in a shorter period of time. 

Cornell University’s Improved Data Infrastructure

Cornell University needed an open solution and a move away from stifling data platform dependency. They needed to be able to format data into dimensional models. WhereScape RED data warehouse automation provided faster time to production. WhereScape automated and standardized the data warehouse development, improved performance, and reduced costs. 

Concluding thoughts: Building a Scalable Data Foundation

Educational institutions can use tools like WhereScape to quickly and accurately build a scalable data foundation. With these solutions at work, institutions can add data sources, standardize data inputs, and generate actionable insights from their data. 

Discover More with WhereScape

Save time and improve accuracy as you build your new data warehouse. WhereScape makes top data management strategies in education more accessible and achievable through advanced tools and automation. Book your demo today!

[1] Center for Digital Education. (2022). Data-Driven Decision-Making in Education. Retrieved from Center for Digital Education .

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Business Support Officer

Job introduction.

Right to work within the UK – unfortunately at this time we cannot provide working visa or sponsorship for overseas workers.

Job title:  Business Support Officer -  Behaviour Intervention Team  

Salary:   £25,119 - £28,770

Location:  Parklands Customer Focus Centre

  A bit about us:

  Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic and engaged communities, people who take real ownership of their local area and are passionate about making our city a better place. We've got ambitious targets to meet by 2025 and we need people who are driven, dynamic and ready to deliver the very best for our communities.  Public service is more important than ever, and this role represents a real opportunity to make a difference to our communities by transforming the way we work and placing our residents at the heart of everything we do.   

Working at Liverpool City Council provides an opportunity to contribute to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of residents. Our values shape how we work to deliver public services, and how we communicate with the residents we serve. We care about the best outcomes for local people, through our public services. 

We are proud of our world-famous thriving city with its rich culture, affordable housing, stunning waterfront and our beautiful green spaces – there’s really something for everyone.  

• An exciting opportunity has arisen within Liverpool Children and Young People’s Services as we integrate our SEND and Alternative Provision services, enabling a holistic understanding of and response to children and young people’s needs. As the Business Support Officer you will be a key player by providing administrative support to the Behaviour Intervention Team and drive the cities response to meeting behavioural needs across primary and secondary education, working closely with educational settings and the team to ensure seamless and timely response to children and young people’s needs
• As a key player in this service area, you will work as part of a team that includes the Behaviour Intervention Team Operational Lead and a Behaviour Intervention Advisory Teacher. Reporting directly to the Behaviour Intervention Team Operational Lead, you will contribute significantly to supporting our mission of providing quality education to every child and young person, irrespective of their background or challenges they may face and will work with colleagues to be the first point of contact for referrals
• The BIT initiative, is designed as a part of a three-tiered model for behaviour, support and outreach. Liverpool's significantly high exclusion rates doubled the national average in 2022/2023, and continued to rise in the Autumn Term of 2023/2024, there is a significant need for an effective behavioural support model. This pilot is an early intervention strategy, specifically targeting children facing behavioural challenges.  A key aim of the model is to address these challenges, mitigate and reduce the number of school exclusions in Liverpool

Our offer to you:

• 35 hour working week with hybrid working model
• At least 27 days holiday  rising to 32 after 5 years service.- option to purchase further days
• Agile working  - A “Flexibility First” approach to Agile working where flexibility is the norm rather than the exception.
• Part of the Local Government Pension scheme  – option to join the AVC scheme
• Progression  - opportunities and training through a wide range of high quality learning
• Health and Wellbeing -  offer including Employee assistance programme
• Cycle to Work and Travel Pass Schemes 
• Drive Time  – a salary sacrifice car lease scheme
• Family friendly policies with enhanced leave   
• Discounted Gym Memberships 
• Employee Volunteering Scheme 

Click on this link to view our Recruitment video and what life is like working at Liverpool city council -   https://vimeo.com/942364338

Next steps:

Closing Date is:   Sunday 22nd September 2024

If you would like to talk to a member of the team about the role or have an informal discussion, please contact –   Katie Roscoe at [email protected]

Liverpool City Council is committed to fostering a workforce representative of the communities we serve. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe in appointing candidates based on their skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities. To support this commitment, we guarantee an interview to candidates from under-represented groups who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role. 

If you require any reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010, such as an application form in a different format or additional time to complete your application, please contact us at [email protected]

Although we advertise on Jobs go public, and other websites, your application process will be directed to our Tribepad system. Please note that all communication regarding your application for this post will be sent to the email address that you have registered on Tribepad, including your invite to interview if you are shortlisted. Please check your emails regularly, including Spam/Junk, after the closing dates for notifications.  Please ensure you complete your full profile, work and education history in Tribepad.

We reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications. If interested, please complete an application as early as possible

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• Salary £25119 - £28770
• Frequency Annual
• Job Reference https://jobs.liverpool.gov.uk/jobs/job/Business-Support-Officer/256
• Contract Type Permanent Full Time
• Closing Date 22 September, 2024
• Job Category Administration
• Business Unit Children & Young Peoples Services
• Location City Wide, United Kingdom
• Posted on 09 September, 2024
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Jobs in the same category, business solutions manager.

Cunard Building, Water Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom

53,577 - 59,161

Permanent Full Time

Apply by 29 September, 2024

Posted on 30 August, 2024

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