World Summit on Social Development: Stakeholders stress education overhaul to avert global “learning crisis” – Capital Newspaper

Report on the Call for Education System Transformation to Meet Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction

A high-level session at the World Summit on Social Development issued an urgent call for the fundamental transformation of global education systems. Stakeholders warned that current models are failing to align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in the Global South. The session, titled “Foundations for the Future: Basic Education as a Pathway to Skills and Jobs,” concluded that incremental change is insufficient to address systemic failures impacting key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2.0 Core Challenges and Misalignment with the 2030 Agenda

Global education leaders identified a critical disconnect between schooling and the acquisition of relevant skills. This gap directly undermines progress on multiple SDGs by creating systemic barriers to sustainable development. Key challenges highlighted include:

• A widening gap between educational outcomes and labor market demands.
• The exacerbation of social and economic inequality, directly contravening SDG 10.
• The stifling of inclusive and sustainable economic growth, impeding the achievement of SDG 8.

3.0 Impact on Specific Sustainable Development Goals

The failure of current education systems has direct and severe implications for the following SDGs:

1. SDG 4 (Quality Education): The primary goal is being missed as systems fail to provide inclusive, equitable, and quality education that leads to effective learning outcomes and lifelong opportunities.
2. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Without foundational skills for employability, youth are unable to secure decent work, which hinders the promotion of sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.
3. SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Inequitable access to quality education that imparts relevant skills deepens inequalities within and among countries, disproportionately affecting youth in developing nations.
4. SDG 1 (No Poverty): As education is a primary pathway out of poverty, a broken system perpetuates cycles of poverty by failing to equip individuals with the tools for economic self-sufficiency.

4.0 Stakeholder Consensus and Youth Advocacy

A unified message was delivered by a multi-stakeholder panel including government officials, international envoys, and youth advocates. The consensus emphasized that the current model is broken and requires a paradigm shift, not minor adjustments.

4.1 Youth Leader Perspective on Foundational Learning

Ms. Samantha Umar, a Youth Leader for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), framed education as the essential foundation for achieving broader human development goals. In her opening remarks, she stated, “What would life be without the basic skills to learn, read, and understand essential services?” Her statement underscored education’s role as a non-negotiable prerequisite for social inclusion and the realization of equity, opportunity, and employability for all youth, in line with the core principles of the SDGs.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article’s central theme is the urgent need to transform “education systems.” It explicitly discusses “basic education,” the acquisition of “basic skills to learn, read, and understand,” and the importance of bridging the gap between “schooling and skills.” This directly aligns with the core mission of SDG 4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article directly links the failure of education systems to “stifling economic growth.” It emphasizes that education must be a “pathway to skills and jobs” and improve “employability for the world’s youth.” This connection between education, skills, and economic outcomes is a key component of SDG 8.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • A primary warning in the article is that the current educational model is “exacerbating inequality,” with a specific mention of the “Global South.” The call for “equity,” “opportunity,” and “social inclusion” as foundational elements of education reform directly addresses the goals of SDG 10.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. 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.
   • The focus on “basic education” and the need for foundational skills like the ability to “learn, read, and understand” directly relates to ensuring effective learning outcomes from primary and secondary schooling.
2. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
   • The article’s main argument about bridging the “gap between schooling and skills” to promote “employability” and create a “pathway to skills and jobs” is a clear reflection of this target.
3. Target 8.6: By 2030, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
   • The article expresses an urgent concern for the “world’s youth” and their “employability.” The warning that the “current model is broken” implies a high risk of youth being left behind, which is precisely what this target aims to prevent.
4. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all.
   • The framing of education as the “non-negotiable foundation for human development and social inclusion” and the call to address “equity” and “opportunity” directly support the goal of promoting universal social and economic inclusion.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Proficiency in Foundational Skills
   • The article’s emphasis on the “basic skills to learn, read, and understand” implies the need for indicators that measure literacy and numeracy rates among students completing basic education. This would correspond to official indicators like 4.1.1 (Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics).
2. Youth Skills for Employment
   • The discussion on the “gap between schooling and skills” and the need for “employability” suggests an indicator measuring the percentage of youth who possess skills relevant to the job market. This relates to indicator 4.4.1 (Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills).
3. Youth Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) Rate
   • The concern for “employability for the world’s youth” and the failure of the current system implies that a key measure of failure or success would be the proportion of young people who are disengaged from both the education system and the labor market. This is a direct reference to indicator 8.6.1 (Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in education, employment or training).

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: capitalethiopia.com