Update on Indicator 4.7.1 and new indicator and disaggregation dimensions

SDG 4 establishes that by 2030 we have to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” and contains 10 specific targets. One of these targets, 4.7, refers to the knowledge and skills necessary for a sustainable future. Specifically, it states that by 2030, we have to “ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development”.  

As the custodian for Indicator 4.7.1, in 2019 UNESCO developed the methodology to collect information and measure how the world progresses towards SDG 4.7 aimed at “learning to live together sustainably”. In this standard-setting and monitoring role, every four years, the organization invites Member States to report on progress made in implementing its 1974 Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Indicator 4.7.1 also forms part of the UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda, under the dimension “Knowledge and Skills”  as part of the framework for assessing the contribution of culture in building knowledge and skills including local knowledge and cultural

In 2020, the global indicator for target 4.7 was approved and defined as: 4.7.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.

To calculate the extent, each category a) to d) is assessed by evaluating select elements within the categories which are scored as whether or not they are present. The resulting score of the categories is not combined into one singular score for the entire 4.7.1. Among the resulting score for each category a) to d), the highest score among all countries is considered as “1”; the scores lower than the highest score are placed in relation to the highest score (they are ranked), and the absence of any score is “0”. The valuation of between 0 to 1 has the purpose of expressing the effort of which countries mainstream each category of 4.7.1. by comparing country mainstreaming efforts without expressing an absolute nor expected mainstreaming extent.

At present, there are nine countries from Asia-Pacific where scoring of the extent to which global citizenship education and education for sustainable development are mainstreamed. Among the present countries, the Republic of Korea mainstreams GCED and ESD the most in the categories of national education policies and in teacher education. In the category of student assessments, Thailand shows the highest mainstreaming efforts.

For countries worldwide, the current data release provides 2020 information for 55 countries for this indicator. Future annual updates will increase data availability for more countries.

For more information on the calculation process, please visit the website of the Technical Cooperation Group for the official metadata:

http://tcg.uis.unesco.org/methodological-toolkit/metadata/

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The UIS also published data on the following SDG 4 indicators for the first time: 

• Indicator 4.1.0 Proportion of children/young people prepared for the future, by sex. Available for 100 countries for years ranging between 2001 and 2019. 
• Indicator 4.4.2 Percentage of youth/adults who have achieved at least a minimum level of proficiency in digital literacy skills. Available for 81 countries for 2020.
• Indicator 4.7.6 Extent to which national education policies and education sector plans recognize a breadth of skills that needs to be enhanced in national education systems. Available for 3 countries for 2020. 

This year’s data update also presents new disaggregated dimensions for the following indicators: 

• Educational attainment - urban and rural data added to:

• Indicator 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill.
• Indicator 4.4.3 Youth/adult educational attainment rates by age group and level of education.

• Disaggregation by disability added to:

• Indicator 4.1.2 Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education).
• Indicator 4.1.4 Out-of-school rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education). 

• Disaggregation by location (urban/rural) and socioeconomic status (SES) added to:

• Indicator 4.7.4 Percentage of students in lower secondary education showing adequate understanding of issues relating to global citizenship and sustainability.
• Indicator 4.5.1 Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile, low/high socio-economic status, migrant/non-migrant, and others as data become available) for all education indicators on this document that can be disaggregated.

• Parity indices were added for Indicators 4.1.2, 4.1.4 and 4.4.3.

Further, at the Additional Policy Relevant Indicators level, regional averages are featured in this data release for Total Net Enrolment for primary education.