SDG 4 in Dispute: Between the Right to Education and the Human Capital Agenda

The chapter argues that despite facing several crises and being subject to past tendencies, there was still resistance and impact from educational forces in the construction of Sustainable Development Goal 4. However, as expected, economists had a significant role in defining the terms of SDG 4 for its implementation. The first part of the analysis contextualizes the right to education in an international context, providing a meaning for educators’ defense. It then presents the battle between two education concepts and the strategies currently used to mitigate the neoliberal idea underlying the economic agenda. After contextualizing the concepts, the chapter analyzes the creation of Agenda 2030 and the general issues it seeks to address. Then, the focus narrows down to the analysis of SDG 4 from the perspective of the political dispute between the two education concepts, identifying marks in different phases and parts of the objective’s elaboration process. Afterward, it delves into key issues related to the Brazilian case, focusing on the narrowing of educational reforms that tend to emphasize standardized tests for the assessment of competencies. This discussion raises important questions about the broader implications for education in the country. Finally, the chapter presents the first signs of impact resulting from this puzzle, a result of apparently conciliatory international negotiations.