As the custodian agency for SDG 4, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) works with countries and a wide range of partners to develop the indicators and methodologies needed to monitor progress towards the global education goal. The UIS will present the latest developments at the annual conference of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) in San Francisco from 14-18 April.

Join the UIS at the following events.

Measurement and critique of sustainability (Tue, 16 April, 10:00 to 11:30 am, Hyatt Regency, Level -1, Pacific A)

The UIS will present on methodological challenges related to SDG Indicator 4.7.1, which examines the extent to which i) global citizenship education; and ii) education for sustainable development, including gender equality and human rights, are mainstreamed at all levels in: a) national education policies; b) curricula; c) teacher education; and d) student assessment.

To date, 83 countries have reported data in response to a UNESCO questionnaire. Based on these results, UNESCO and the UIS are developing a methodological approach to group countries by their degree of progress towards mainstreaming of global citizenship education and education for sustainable development. This will greatly improve the comparability and availability of data for SDG Indicator 4.7.1.

To measure the treasure: Contributions from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the Global Education Monitoring Report (Tue, 16 April, 11:45 am to 1:15 pm, Hyatt Regency, Level -1, Pacific D/E/F)

This panel will feature a lively discussion among the directors of UIS and GEMR as well as longstanding partners in the measurement of education goals. It will begin by looking at the past by asking: how did the UIS and GEMR help develop the monitoring framework for international education targets from Dakar to Incheon?

Discussions will then turn to the present: how are the UIS and GEMR trying to share with the world the core idea behind the SDG 4 monitoring framework? This will set the stage to look to the future and explore the challenges and risks facing the UIS and GEMR to fulfil this vision.
Better data for SDG 4: Recent methodological developments (Wed, 17 April, 3:15 to 4:45 pm, Hyatt Regency, Level -1, Pacific 1)

The UIS is organizing and chairing this panel with experts in education statistics, who will speak about:

• new household data on foundational learning skills during the early grades of primary education for calculation of SDG Indicator 4.1.1(a) (proportion of children in Grade 2 or 3 achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics);
• a new model to generate estimates of school completion rates based on data from multiple sources for SDG Targets 4.1 (ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes) and 4.5 (eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations); and
• use of model-based estimates to assess the literacy skills of adults as part of SDG Target 4.6 (ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy).

Teacher autonomy (Thu, 18 April, 10:00 to 11:30 am, Hyatt Regency, Street Level 0, Regency A)

Teachers are an essential – and arguably the most important – element to achieve SDG 4, with Target 4.c calling on countries to substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers. Five of the seven indicators associated with this target relate to teacher training and qualifications.

Yet today, there is no universally accepted definition of what it means to be a “qualified” or “trained” teacher. In response, the UIS is working with partners to develop a classification of teacher training programmes to help countries report internationally comparable data on teachers and learn from the experience of others from a policymaking perspective.

Sustainable development through measurement in learning: Perspectives from international organizations and countries (Thu, 18 April, 11:45 am to 1:15 pm, Hyatt Regency, Street Level 0, Regency B)

The political agendas and monitoring frameworks of the SDGs are extremely ambitious and learning is paramount for sustainable development. This panel session, organized by the UIS, will focus on:

• the benefits and costs of measuring the Sustainable Development Goals;
• frameworks and tools designed to help countries report SDG Indicator 4.1.1 (proportion of children and young people achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics);
• initiatives by international organizations, such as the World Bank, to help countries strengthen their learning assessments; and
• innovative approaches developed by Mexico to monitor learning as part of SDG 4.

Use of learning assessment data in education policy: Technical and political barriers (Thu, 18 April, 3:15 to 4:45 pm, Hyatt Regency, Level -1, Pacific

With learning outcomes at the core of the SDG 4 monitoring framework, this panel will focus on the challenges of producing and using assessment data. According to the UIS, about 100 countries do not systematically assess learning. At the same time, many countries that do assess learning are unable to make full use of their data for policymaking and planning purposes.

Based on a wide range of experience, the UIS Director will show the way forward on how countries can overcome the technical challenges and make the best possible use of assessment data to meet their specific needs in terms of policy planning as well as reporting.