Education improvement in developing countries is one of the major challenges to the efforts of the expert community of international development assistance in recent decades.
Considerable experience is accumulated in implementing of international initiatives to increase access to basic education over the past 15 years. However, despite significant progress in achieving of the Millennium Development Goals between 2000 and 2015, provision of the access to basic education by itself was an insufficient solution: many of the primary school graduates still do not demonstrate the basic skills of literacy, writing and numeracy. It requires clarification of goals and targets to achieve universal quality education.
In September 2015 at the UN General Assembly the expanded development agenda till 2030 was adopted. It included 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and formed a program that will guide global and national initiatives for development in the next 15 years.
A new goal for education – “to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, the possibility of learning throughout life for all” received not only a new scale, but also a new dimension.
In this regard, the development of approaches to the improvement of the basic education through quality assessment performed by CICED is a relevant contribution of the Russian expert community to the achievement of the UN SDGs.
Development and improvement of the national system of education quality assessment in Russia is a prerequisite for the transition from the achievement of quantitative indicators to the implementation of “management by results” principle. It is necessary not only for establishment of a system of indicators, but also for having an agreed measurement procedures, for the ability to interpret the results and for having evidence for making management decisions.
Sustainable Development Goals:
- No Poverty – End poverty in all its forms everywhere/
- Zero Hunger – End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
- Good Health and Well-being – Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
- Quality Education – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Gender Equality – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
- Clean Water and Sanitation – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
- Affordable and Clean Energy – Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and clean energy for all.
- Decent Work and Economic Growth – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
- Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
- Reduced Inequalities – Reduce income inequality within and among countries.
- Sustainable Cities and Communities – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
- Responsible Consumption and Production – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
- Climate Action – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy.
- Life Below Water – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
- Life on Land – Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
- Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
- Partnerships for the Goals – Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.