Ireland's UN SDGs 2019 - Report on Indicators for Goal 4 Quality Education

Ireland’s UN SDGs 2019 - Report on Indicators for Goal 4 Quality Education

The 17 UN SDGs are a set of global development targets adopted by the United Nations (UN) member countries in September 2015 to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.  The UN SDGs are driving the global development agenda towards Agenda 2030.

The Sustainable Development Goals National Implementation Plan 2018-2020 is in direct response to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and provides a whole-of-government approach to implement the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

This Publication for 'Goal 4 Quality Education’ has 11 SDG indicators which are reported in the 3 main chapters: Childhood Education, Adult Education and Education Infrastructure.

Childhood Education

SDG 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people: (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, is indicated by data published by the Department of Education and Skills, and Educational Research Centre(ERC) from various surveys. 

Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) are schools which have a high concentration of disadvantage.  Launched in 2005 by the Department of Education, DEIS is the most recent national programme aimed at addressing the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities.  A very significant element of DEIS is known as the School Support Programme (SSP) which is in place in about 340 urban primary schools, 340 rural primary schools, and 200 post-primary schools with the highest levels of disadvantage (See DEIS on Department of Education website).

SDG 4.2.1 Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, shows data from the second in a series of key findings from the second round of interviews with the Infant Cohort in Growing Up in Ireland Study.  The families of 11,100 children were initially interviewed in 2008/2009 when the study child was nine months old.  They were re-interviewed between January and August 2011, when the children were three years old.  GUI Reports are available here.

SDG 4.2.2 Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), is indicated by data published by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Department of Education and Skills.

Adult Education

SDG 4.3.1 Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, is provided by data published by the CSO and the Department of Education and Skills.

SDG 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill was published by the CSO.

SDG 4.5.1 Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated are compiled by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and published on their database UIS.

SDG 4.6.1 Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, is indicated by the level of educational qualification of the population aged 25-64 years which uses proxy data from the CSO's Educational Attainment Thematic Reports as an indication of adult literacy and numeracy skills. 

Education Infrastructure

SDG 4.7.1 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 is outlined in the Department of Education and Skills 'National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland 2014-2020'.

SDG 4.a.1 Proportion of schools with access to: (a) electricity; (b) the Internet for pedagogical purposes; (c) computers for pedagogical purposes; (d) adapted infrastructure and materials for students with disabilities; (e) basic drinking water; (f) single-sex basic sanitation facilities; and (g) basic handwashing facilities (as per the WASH indicator definitions) was indicated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) who also publish results on their database UIS. Department of Education information on the 'Digital Strategy for Schools' is also provided.

SDG 4.b.1 Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study is indicated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the OECD Peer Review Ireland 2020 Report. 

SDG 4.c.1 Proportion of teachers in: (a) pre-primary; (b) primary; (c) lower secondary; and (d) upper secondary education who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country is indicated by legislation governing teacher qualifications at primary and secondary level and Department of Education and Skills pre-primary data.

Additional Information

Educational Qualifications

The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) is a system of 10 levels.  Each level is based on nationally agreed standards of knowledge, skill and competence.  These standards help define what an individual is expected to know, understand and be able to do following successful completion of a process of learning.
The NFQ recognises learning from the very initial to the most advanced stages which may take place in schools or colleges, at work or in the home or community.

The NFQ levels are as follows:
Level 1 - Certificate
Level 2 - Certificate
Level 3 - Certificate (Junior Certificate)
Level 4 - Certificate (Leaving Certificate)
Level 5 - Certificate (Leaving Certificate)
Level 6 - Advanced Certificate (Higher Certificate)
Level 7 - Ordinary Bachelor Degree
Level 8 - Honours Bachelor Degree (Higher Diploma)
Level 9 - Masters Degree (Post-Graduate Diploma)
Level 10 - Doctoral Degree (Higher Doctorate)

Ireland's Population Distribution

Ireland's population distribution per county and Region (NUTS3), based on the Census of Population 2016 data, is provided here for reference.

Eight Regional Authorities (NUTS3)

Border – Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo

Midland – Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath

West – Galway, Mayo, Roscommon

Dublin – Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, South Dublin

Mid-East – Kildare, Louth, Meath, Wicklow

Mid-West – Clare, Limerick, Tipperary

South-East – Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford

South-West – Cork, Kerry