SDG 4: QUALITY EDUCATION

We invest in quality, inclusive and equitable education

Education is transformational, and promoting education for all is fundamental for the achievement of the other SDGs. Although there have been important advances in relation to school enrolment rates in recent years, much remains to be done.

About 758 million adults — approximately 15% of the total adult population — cannot read this text. According to the report Education transforms lives, published by UNESCO in 2017, this is the real number of adults who cannot read or write, and two thirds are women. This report also highlights illiteracy in children and young people: 263 million children and young people are not in school, and this directly impacts the increase in discrimination and social tensions.

Access to quality education is the perfect starting point to break out of the cycle of poverty and empower people to lead more sustainable and healthier lives. Not to mention, also, that education helps to create more peaceful, tolerant societies.

Therefore, achieving inclusive, equitable and quality education, and promoting life-long learning opportunities for everyone is the fourth of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN, approved in September 2015 during the meeting where more than 150 heads of State and Government approved what is known as the 2030 Agenda.

Iberdrola group's contribution to this goal is embodied in an investment of €3.7 million in the International Master's Scholarship Program and its research grants for the 2017-2018 academic year, as well as promoting corporate training, with 42 hours of training per employee in 2017, along with the volunteer projects and the work of the different foundations.

 SEE INFOGRAPHIC: Keys to undestanding illiteracy in the world [PDF]

WHY IS THE UN'S QUALITY EDUCATION GOAL SO IMPORTANT?

Approximately 62.6% of the illiterate adult population is in Asia, especially in the south (49%), in countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan; and 27% in Sub-Saharan Africa, mainly in Tanzania, Niger and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Education, according to the UN, is a fundamental and enabling right. In order to achieve universal literacy and a quality education system, it is necessary to build and adapt educational facilities so that they meet all children's needs and motivate and professionally qualify teachers. They are one of the basic pillars of education. There is also a clear need for a wider range of grants to facilitate access to education for people with few resources.

TARGETS FOR THE FOURTH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL

UNESCO is sure that illiteracy will still be widespread in 15 years' time, and that a 100% global literacy rate will not have been achieved by then. However, the goals set for 2030 are:

• To ensure that all children finish primary and secondary education, which must to be free, equitable and of quality.
• To ensure that all young people and a considerable proportion of adults are literate and have elementary numeracy skills.
• To increase the number of young people and adults who have the necessary skills to access employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
• To ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for vulnerable people.

 MORE ABOUT THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: