This report is structured around the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), which provide a framework of measureable
targets agreed across nations, and a set of metrics for tracking
how South Africa is doing against this set of generally accepted
goals, and against the progress of other developing countries.
Of the 17 SDGs, Goal 4 refers to education, and is stated as:
Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and
promote lifelong learning
Goal 4 has ten targets, as set out in Table 1. The table indicates
the education sectors at which each target is mainly directed.
Each of the ten targets has both a quantitative (all boys and
girls) and a qualitative (equitable and quality primary and
secondary education) element; indeed, this dual nature is
indicated in the wording of Goal 4: … quality for all…
Furthermore, while seven of the targets are specifically
directed at one or two educational sectors, as indicated in Table
1, three are cross-cutting, in that they affect all sectors: Target
5 (gender equity), Target 8 (inclusive education), and Target 7
(education for sustainable development).