Sustainability Goals: Where we stand on SDG #4

Image by Prado

SDG 4 is about ensuring inclusive, equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning for all. 

As a retired school librarian and English teacher from a family of teachers, this one hits home for me. 

Here in the US, a quality education is more of a privilege than a right these days. The current landscape is proof of this, and the situation is getting worse by the hour. 

In the United States, the central challenge is not simply getting students into school. Although that is a growing problem. For a myriad of reasons, students simply refuse to go to school. For a public service that has long been funded based on attendance, this is a huge problem.

Blaming classroom teachers for not being engaging enough for kids to attend is a massive, unbelievable, and inaccurate insult.

Diverting public funds to private schools exacerbates the issue. Which is the point, of course.  

It has proven impossible to improve US public education across the board because policies and leadership have actively undermined teachers’ efforts. 

To some extent, I think part of the problem is that somewhere along the way, we lost sight of the purpose of education. Getting a high paying job should not be the end all and be all of education. Or any job, really. 

A well rounded education should result in a well rounded, decent human being who cares about more than him or herself. With that as a foundation, this, and any, country will thrive in every conceivable way possible. 

SDG 4 is not just about schooling. It is about whether societies build systems that help people grow, adapt, and contribute over a lifetime. A country that takes education seriously is not just preparing workers. It is preparing a more capable, resilient, and democratic future. 

What can creatives do about SDG #4? 

Enter the Protopian Prize. If SDG #4 resonates with you, use it as a focus for a story for the Democratic Futures Category! Tell a story about what happens when every human’s education becomes a priority for society. What steps would we take to make this a reality? What does education look like in this reality? 

Write a Better Future. One in which every person’s education and learning is valued.