Education as a key to peace and sustainable development: Toward the implementation of SDG 4

During the 2020 Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN co-organized by the Inter-parliamentary union and the office of the President of the General Assembly on February 17, at the UN Trusteeship council chamber, entitled
“Education as a key to peace and sustainable development: Toward the implementation of SDG 4”, focus was made on the recognition of Education as a necessary precondition for sustainable development in all its dimensions – economic, social and environmental. Without an educated people there can be no democracy, no peace and no prosperity.

As of today, it is a well known fact that
so many girls and boys still lack access to public education or education that brings quality results, and lifelong education for all, including working-age adults. Apart from that, the poor, women and girls, migrants, people with disabilities and other marginalized groups have less access to educational opportunities than those who are better off.

Around the world, education is often underfunded and unaffordable while higher education is no more a guarantee for a good job, in many countries there is a growing mismatch between workers’ knowledge and skills and actual employment opportunities in the real economy.

This joint UN Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) hearing will call for greater political resolve to make sure that the Sustainable Development Goal on education, SDG 4, is fully realized by 2030. As a priority theme of the 74th General Assembly, education is an important part of a series of events at the United Nations that will include the observance of the International Day of Education on 24 January.

By Niyi Fote /Thenews2