Conceptualizing and Addressing SDG 4 Data Gaps: Global and Regional Perspectives

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

As the world nears the mid-point for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, missing data matters more than ever. This is particularly true for achieving SDG 4 to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” This session aims to engage both academics and policy experts on how we conceptualize, prioritize, and address gaps in the current education data regime from a global and regional perspective.

The challenges presented by missing education data can manifest as missing groups, missing types and missing purposes. Missing data can jeopardize efforts to reach the marginalized groups most in need of policy and programmatic support—such as out-of-school children in fragile and conflict affected contexts, learners with disabilities, youth and adults desiring technical and vocational training, and others. Missing types of data can also constrain our ability to achieve a world with quality education and lifelong learning for all. We continue to have more data on educational access than on knowledge, skills, and learning outcomes, and the data on learning is limited to specific ages and subjects. Furthermore, the systematic exclusion of specific types of data and the drive to standardize indictors may restrict our data picture. Third, some purposes behind the current education data system are prominent while others are notably missing. For example, the current international education data regime might be better suited for transnational reporting and advocacy than for subnational implications for policy and practice.

The session’s speakers will provide global and regional perspectives on missing education data following this three-part framework: missing data groups, types, and purposes. The session will provide analysis of the key gaps from a global perspective and four regional perspectives (Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa). Speakers will highlight patterns of missingness and priority topics to address going forward. These reflections are a result of desk research and expert regional consultations carried out for the inaugural conference of NORRAG’s Missing Education Data Summit.

We encourage education data experts to attend this round table discussion and contribute their feedback to our ongoing analysis of Missing Education Data globally and regionally.

Sub Unit

• Globalization & Education SIG

Chair

• Daniel D Shephard, Teachers College, Columbia University and NORRAG

Individual Presentations

• A Conceptual Framework for Mapping of Missing Data for SDG 4 - Marcos Delprato, University of Sussex

• Priorities for Missing Data and SDG4: Latin America and the Caribbean - Alejandro Vera, UNESCO Santiago

• Priorities for Missing Data and SDG 4 for countries in Africa - Angela Jane Arnott, Program4results

• Priorities for Missing Data on SDG4 in Arab Region - Karma El Hassan, American University of Beirut

• Missing data groups for SDG 4 indicators in Asia - James Shoobridge, Self Employed