SDG 4, Lessons, Experiences and Challenges in the Asia-Pacific Region

byDr Ethel Agnes Valenzuela

The Asia-Pacific Region

• Asia-Pacific is one of the world’s fastest growing and most diverse regions.

• In 2013, the total population stood at 4.3 billion, which is 60% of the world’s population.

• The region also hosts three of the most populous countries: China, India and Indonesia.

• Region with over 3,000 languages

The Asia-Pacific Regional Clusters and SDG 4 coordination

• SEAMEO (11 countries in Southeast Asia)/ ASEAN Member countries

• SAARC (South Asia Regional committee)

• PIFS (Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat)

• UNESCO Almaty (Central Asian Countries)

Mechanisms for supporting SDG 4 in all ASPAC countries

• ASPAC Meeting

• National SDG 4 Coordinators Network

• Pre- APMED survey (tool to monitor progress on SDG 4)1

• Regional Organizations clusters

• Regional initiatives /Ministerial Meeting

• Framework for Action /Action Agenda for Education 20302

• National SDG Coordinating Network

• National inter-agency committees3

Regional Roadmap for the E2030

• Track 1: Access to and quality of basic education is limited, especially for marginalized groups (SDG4 ref: 4.1, 4.2, 4.5, 4.6, 4.a, 4.c)

• Track 2: Access to quality post-basic education and skills development opportunities is limited (SDG 4 ref: 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.a, 4.b, 4.c)

• Track 3: Access to education at all levels is satisfactory but with unsatisfactory performance (SDG4 ref: 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7, 4.a)

• Track 4: Access to and performance of education are satisfactory but needs to improve quality of education to address the emerging needs (SDG 4 ref: 4.4, 4.7,4.a, 4.c)

Priority Areas for Cooperation

Advocacy information and

knowledge exchange

Capacity development

Monitoring

SDG 4 Implementation Phases in ASPAC

YEARS SDG4 IMPLEMENTATION PHASES

2015-2016 PHASE I: Foundation Building

2017-2019 PHASE II: Clarification of Targets; Towards Implementation, and 1st Progress

Review

2020-2023 PHASE III: Implementation and Midterm Review

2024-2027 PHASE IV: Acceleration/Reviewing Success

2028-2030 PHASE V: Into the Future

Regional and Global Milestones

Regional and Global Key Milestones Expected Outcomes

Regional

3rd APMED2030,– focusing on SDG target 4.7, July 2017

Regional Capacity Development Training on Planning for SDG4, July 2017

3rd Asia Pacific Regional Policy Forum on ECCE: Taking SDG4.2 from Policy

to Action, 2018

Regional Capacity Development Training on Monitoring SDG4, June 2018

Asia-Pacific Regional Training Manual on Monitoring SDG4, 2018

Regional Baseline Report on SDG4 (An SDG4 Target-by Target Breakdown

for Asia-Pacific), 2018

Regional Thematic Review of SDG4 targets 4.3 and 4.4 (to be presented at

the 4th APMED2030), 2018

4th APMED2030, – focusing on SDG targets 4.3 and 4.4, July 2018,

Bangkok

Follow-up sub-regional workshops on 4.3/4.4 and monitoring SDG4, 2019

Development of a media training toolkit for reporting on SDG4 and

training workshops, 2018

5th APMED2030 - focusing on SDG targets 4.1 and 4.6, 2019

All countries have a better

understanding of targets 4.1,

4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7

All countries agree on

coordination mechanism for

SDG4 at the regional and

national levels and Terms of

Reference of National

Coordinators endorsed

All countries capacity

enhanced to undertake

SDG4 monitoring and

reporting

Region’s input to Global

Education Meetings and

HLPF review provided

SEAMEO Membership

Indonesia (1965) Lao PDR (1965)

Malaysia (1965) Philippines (1965)

Singapore (1965) Thailand (1965)

Cambodia (1971) Brunei Darussalam (1984)

Vietnam (1992) Myanmar (1998)

Timor Leste (2006)

11 Member Countriesin Southeast Asia

8 Associate Member Countries

5 Affiliate Members

Australia (1973) France (1973)New Zealand (1974)Canada (1988) Germany (1990)Netherlands (1993)Spain (2007) United Kingdom (2013)

International Council for Open and Distance Education (1999)

University of Tsukuba (2009)

British Council (2010)

China Education Association for International Exchange (2015)

Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understandingunder the auspices of UNESCO (2018)

2014 Strategic Dialogue of Education Ministers in Vientiane Lao PDR)

•SEAMEO Education Agenda & Seven priority Areas 2015-2035

2016 Strategic Dialogue of Education Ministers in Bandung Indonesia

•Action Agenda 2015-2020 adopted in Bandung Indonesia (2016)

2017 Strategic Dialogue of Education Ministers in Jakarta Indonesia

•Framework for Action (FFA) SEAMEO and SDG 4 (July 2017)

• Training and HRD• Technical Assistance and

Consultancy• Forum for Policy Dialogue and

Regional Cooperation• Research and Development• Partnership and Networking

Pathways for collaborating with other Regional Organizations

SEAMEO Education Agenda (2015 - 2035)

1. Early Childhood Care and Education

2. Addressing Barriers to Inclusion

3. Resiliency in the Face of Emergencies

4. Promoting Technical and Vocational

Education and Training (TVET)

5. Revitalising Teacher Education

6. Promoting Harmonisation in Higher

Education and Research

7. Adopting a 21st Century Curriculum

Coordinating and Prioritizing Regional Support to Member States

Track 1

Access to and quality of basic education is limited, especially for marginalized groups

(SDG4 ref: 4.1, 4.2, 4.5, 4.6, 4.a, 4.c)

Track 2

Access to quality post-basic education and skills development opportunities is limited

(SDG4 ref: 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.a, 4.b, 4.c)

Track 3

Access to education at all levels is satisfactory but with unsatisfactory performance (i.e., learning outcomes)

(SDG4 ref: 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7, 4.a)

Track 4

Access to and performance of education are satisfactory but needs to improve quality of education to address the emerging needs

(SDG4 ref: 4.4, 4.7, 4.a, 4.c)

Challenges & Opportunities

• SDG 4 & Education Sector Development Plans

• Resources• Data gaps and availability• 4.7 • Support for furthest behind

group(s) for this SDG 4 indicators– Nested disaggregation

(disaggregation by combination of two or more variables)

• Further engagement with private sector to obtain resources and favourableemployment

• strengthening and widening national and sub-national co-ordination to broaden ownership of the targets

• JFIT, KFIT and CFIT• MFIT• SAARC Development Fund• Other international agencies

providing support to SDG 4

The SEA-PLM is a regional approach to improve quality of education through system level monitoring of learner achievements.

A set of metrics to measure learning outcomes at the primary level for Southeast Asian countries.

Grade 5 learners will be measured across 3 key domains:

numeracy, reading, writing and global citizenship.

Email :ethel@seameo.org