Transforming Education or Transforming the Fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4)?

Overview & Synopsis

This article provides an overview of the evolving agenda surrounding the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4), dedicated to education. The authors examine the transformation of its guiding principles via the introduction of new priorities, benchmarks and modes of governance. Drawing on theoretical and methodological insights from political sociology of global education, and employing a combination of ethnographic methods, they highlight key moments which illustrate the dynamic nature of global coordination efforts for SDG 4. The article examines the reform process of the Global Education Cooperation Mechanism (GCM), alongside the adoption of a renewed thematic agenda, ranging from the Global Education Meetings in 2020 and 2021 to the Transforming Education Summit in 2022. Their findings underscore the predominant influence of multilateral agencies and donors over Member States, driven by a preference for a multistakeholder approach and a pragmatic vision of education. Key trends identified include a focus on basic learning, digital literacy and education financing, highlighting the current trajectory of global education governance.