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The Many Meanings of Quality Education: Politics of Targets and Indicators in SDG4

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  • Elaine Unterhalter

Abstract

The formulation of the SDG education targets was more inclusive than the processes linked with the MDGs. Key constituencies making representations through the Open Working Group and other consultative processes succeeded in formulating targets that stressed inclusion, quality and equality in all phases of education. However, the development of the global indicators for SDG4, has resulted in metrics that miss many of the values of the targets, most notably with regard to quality and free education and substantive, not simply distributive, meanings of equality. The article analyses why some of these slippages took place, and what potential there may be to mobilise for metrics that better depict the key tenets of the education goal and targets. The analysis thus considers ways forward for exploring measurement of the many meanings of quality and equalities in education, reflecting on numbers as instruments that impose power and hierarchy, and the possibility of using reflections on numbers and indicators for critical dialogue and an enhancement of participation, accountability, and work to change injustices in education.

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  • Elaine Unterhalter, 2019. "The Many Meanings of Quality Education: Politics of Targets and Indicators in SDG4," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 10(S1), pages 39-51, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:glopol:v:10:y:2019:i:s1:p:39-51
    DOI: 10.1111/1758-5899.12591
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    1. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
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    1. Abdellah Kabli & Alessandro Rizzello & Annarita Trotta, 2021. "Roadmapping New Impact Bonds in a Post-COVID World: Insights from Case Studies in the Education Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-16, April.
    2. Antoninis, Manos, 2023. "SDG 4 baselines, midpoints and targets: Faraway, so close?," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    3. S. Vögele & K. Govorukha & P. Mayer & I. Rhoden & D. Rübbelke & W. Kuckshinrichs, 2023. "Effects of a coal phase-out in Europe on reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 879-916, January.
    4. Langthaler, Margarita & Malik, Julia, 2023. "Inequalities in education from a global perspective: Theoretical approaches, dimensions and policy discussions," Briefing Papers 34, Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE).
    5. Liliana Pedraja-Rejas & Emilio Rodríguez-Ponce & Camila Muñoz-Fritis & David Laroze, 2023. "Sustainable Development Goals and Education: A Bibliometric Review—The Case of Latin America," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, June.
    6. K. Kougias & E. Sardianou & A. Saiti, 2023. "Attitudes and Perceptions on Education for Sustainable Development," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 425-445, March.
    7. Francesco Chelli & Mariateresa Ciommi & Francesca Mariani & Gloria Polinesi & Maria Cristina Recchioni & Giuseppe Ricciardo Lamonica & Luca Salvati, 2022. "A Story of Strengths and Weaknesses in Tertiary Education: Evaluating ‘Mobility’ and ‘Opportunities’ in OECD Countries with Composite Indicators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-19, December.
    8. Ydesen, Christian & Elfert, Maren, 2023. "SDG4 as a global governance tool and the quest for recognizing diversity – Implications emerging from the intersections between inclusive education and assessment," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    9. Jiacheng Xu & Jianjun Bai & Jun Chen, 2019. "An Improved Indicator System for Evaluating the Progress of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Sub-Target 9.1 in County Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-22, September.
    10. Fukuda-Parr Sakiko & Smaavik Hegstad Thea, 2018. "“Leaving No One Behind” as a Site of Contestation and Reinterpretation," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 9(2), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Danli Yang & Jianwei Sun & Shuangyu Xie & Jing Luo & Fangqin Yang, 2025. "Spatial Accessibility Characteristics and Optimization of Multi-Stage Schools in Rural Mountainous Areas in China: A Case Study of Qixingguan District," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-20, April.
    12. Ismael Moya Clemente & Gabriela Ribes Giner & Gisela Sanahuja Vélez, 2020. "Towards Sustainability in University Education. Improving University Graduates Chances of Employability by Participation in a High Achievement Academic Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-17, January.
    13. Fontdevila, Clara, 2023. "The politics of good enough data. Developments, dilemmas and deadlocks in the production of global learning metrics," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    14. Sotiria Grek, 2022. "The education Sustainable Development Goal and the generative power of failing metrics [The Learning Metrics Task Force 2.0: Taking the Global Dialogues on Measuring Learning to the Country Level]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 41(4), pages 445-457.
    15. Adeniran, Adedeji & Ishaku, Joseph & Akanni, Lateef Olawale, 2020. "Is Nigeria experiencing a learning crisis: Evidence from curriculum-matched learning assessment," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    16. Isabela Caroline de Sousa & Tiago F. A. C. Sigahi & Izabela Simon Rampasso & Gustavo Hermínio Salati Marcondes de Moraes & Walter Leal Filho & João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio & Rosley Anholon, 2024. "A Delphi–Fuzzy Delphi Study on SDGs 9 and 12 after COVID-19: Case Study in Brazil," Forecasting, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-18, July.
    17. Ana Carolina Ferreira Costa & Andresa Monique de Brito Silva & Maximilian Espuny & Aglaé Baptista Torres Rocha & Otávio José de Oliveira, 2024. "Toward quality education: Contributions of EdTech to the achievement of the fourth United Nations sustainable development goal," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 1634-1651, June.
    18. Baoqing Song & Jie Ren & Xiaohu Wang & Xiang Xie, 2025. "College Students’ Views on Museum Learning: A Sustainable Aesthetic Education Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-14, January.
    19. Thor Olav Iversen, 2023. "Boundary experts: Science and politics in measuring the Sustainable Development Goals," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(4), pages 600-610, September.
    20. Liu, Huacong & Fernandez, Frank & Grotlüschen, Anke, 2019. "Examining self-directedness and its relationships with lifelong learning and earnings in Yunnan, Vietnam, Germany, and the United States," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 1-1.

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