Globalisation and Education Futures: An Exploration of SDG 4 Coverage in Voluntary National Reviews

Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) have been described as the “cornerstone” of the follow-up and review process used to track country progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As the primary government report presented at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), VNRs are a key resource in understanding country’s sense-making and integration of the global goals, including the goal for education (SDG 4). 2019 was an important year for education, as for the first time SDG 4 was reviewed at the HLPF, increasing the likelihood that participating countries would include information on SDG 4 in their VNR. This book chapter examines the advantage of the flexibility embedded in the follow-up and review process to identify which indicators countries prioritize in their reporting and how national VNRs reflect basic principles in the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. Drawing from 33 VNRs produced by country participants in the 2019 HLPF, this book chapter discusses the extent the principles of universal participation, holistic education, and country ownership are illustrated in VNRs. Focusing on indicator inclusion, the results suggest that few countries have actively embraced the flexible design by including context-specific national indicators or translating SDG targets and that global indicators dominate national reporting, hampering the holistic ambition of SDG 4. Finally, while participation in the VNR process appears inclusive of countries across regions and income levels, there is some concern that small island nations may be underrepresented.