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Technical workshop on SDG4 progress, gaps and challenges: a data-driven approach
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the compass leading global initiatives that foster sustainable growth by ensuring well-being, economic development, and progress. The SDG 4 aims to ensure provision of high-quality education for all learners at all times and for life long. This goal serves as a fundamental pillar of the 2030 Education Agenda, underscoring education's pivotal role in driving positive change and fostering a sustainable and equitable world.
The Sustainable Development Goals and the Education 2030 Framework for Action set targets for countries to achieve high-quality education. The shift from access and participation to ensuring the availability of quality education for all necessitates data and monitoring mechanisms that support the development of national policies and strategies to meet the targets by 2030.
SDG 4 highlights the critical importance of data collection, availability, monitoring, and effective management of the education sector. National data production is not just a tool but a vital component of effective education policymaking, serving as a pivotal input in crafting and executing comprehensive education policies.
In a collaborative effort, the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, the Arab Bureau for Education in the Gulf States (ABEGS), and the Regional Centre for Education Planning (RCEP) have joined forces to fortify SDG4 monitoring efforts in the Gulf Region. Through a series of country-level technical workshops, the organizations aimed to strengthen national capacities in education data and statistics and supporting abilities in preparing SDG-related reports. The initiative is designed to improve regional and national policies, planning, and monitoring strategies.
A series of workshops have been organized across four countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from February 25-27, the United Arab Emirates from February 28 to March 1, the State of Kuwait from March 4-6, and the Kingdom of Bahrain from March 7-8.
Objectives of the workshop were:
- To promote a data-driven approach in preparing SDG reports such as SDG4 Mid-term review (MTR) and other national, regional and international SDG reporting. By emphasizing the importance of reliable, timely, and disaggregated data, the workshops provided ways of preparing the report and using official statistics and other data sources to present the story of the progress of SDGs in a robust and evidence-based manner.
- To enhance reports' accuracy, relevance, and impact, facilitating evidence-based decision-making and monitoring of SDG progress
The workshops were attended by over 80 officials from the Ministry of Education and other relevant ministries (including national statistical offices, ministries of Health and ministries of Sustainable Development) specializing in education, policy, statistics, and planning.
The workshops were highly productive and successful in achieving their main objective: to devise a clear plan for producing SDG reports. Participants played a crucial role in this achievement, working collaboratively to establish a consensus on the report's structure. Furthermore, they meticulously defined the roles and responsibilities, ensuring clarity on which entity or ministry would oversee each Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) target. This collective effort marks a significant step towards effective and coordinated action in achieving educational goals.
The workshops allowed participants to deepen their understanding of the SDG4 concepts. It clarified technical issues related to thematic indicators, data availability and use for certain indicators, and some issues to consider while preparing SDG4 reports. The workshops focused on enhancing participants' capacity building and provided technical support in SDG4 monitoring, aiming to ultimately help countries contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable world.
UNESCO will continue to support countries with developing national policies and strategies to effectively monitor and implement policies to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), helping them achieve high-quality education for all by 2030.
