Republic of the Philippines

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Lingayen Campus

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Department of Economics
nd
2 SEMESTER, S.Y. 2023 - 2024

SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
GOAL 4:
QUALITY EDUCATION

Prepared by:
Clarissa L. Mejia
1 BA Economics

Submitted to:
Lea Sheraine A. Navarro
Instructor
 Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong
learning opportunities for all. This goal supports the reduction of disparities and inequities in
education, both in terms of access and quality. It recognizes the need to provide quality
education for all, and most especially vulnerable populations, including poor children,
children living in rural areas, persons with disabilities, indigenous people and refugee
children. This goal is of critical importance because of its transformative effects on the other
SDGs. Sustainable development hinges on every child receiving a quality education. When
children are offered the tools to develop to their full potential, they become productive adults
ready to give back to their communities and break the cycle of poverty. Education enables
upward socioeconomic mobility.

As per the current status, access to quality education in the Philippines continues to
face persistent challenges. In 2019, while 82.4% of Filipinos aged 25 and above completed
primary education, the completion rate sharply dropped to 30.5% for secondary education and
further decreased to 24.4% for bachelor’s degrees. Disparities between economic groups are
evident, with 49% of the wealthiest attending higher education compared to only 17% from
the poorest. Despite spending more time in school, Filipino students were less productive than
their counterparts in similar countries.

In higher education, the enrollment rate is comparable to middle-income countries,

but this is declining while neighboring nations progress. The 2018 PISA rankings placed the
Philippines last in reading and second to last in science and mathematics among 79
participating countries. A staggering 78% of Filipino students failed to reach minimum
proficiency levels in these subjects, with only 19% achieving the minimum proficiency level
in reading and mathematics, and 22% in science. This low representation of 15-year-olds in
PISA indicates a significant number of school leavers and out-of-school youth in the country,
underscoring the need for comprehensive educational reforms.

The Philippine education system has been undergoing significant reforms to enhance
its quality and relevance. The K-12 program, which was fully implemented in 2017, aimed to
provide a more comprehensive and globally competitive education. However, challenges such
as infrastructure limitations, overcrowded classrooms, and a shortage of qualified teachers
persist, particularly in rural areas.

The Philippine government aims to give Filipinos in any gender, underprivileged,

out-of-school youths, and any ages, etc. an easy and equal access to quality education. Some
of efforts and ways the government has are:
Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931)
This law provides free tuition and other school fees in state universities and colleges, local
universities and colleges, and state-run technical-vocational institutions.

Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Programs

Administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), these
programs provide free skills training to enhance employability.

K to 12 Program
This comprehensive reform extends basic education to 12 years, aligning it with global
standards. It includes a focus on foundational skills in reading and numeracy, particularly in
early grades.

Alternative Learning System (ALS)

A strategic roadmap aimed at providing second-chance education to out-of-school youth,
addressing both access and quality through innovative approaches.

Alternative Delivery Modes (ADMs)

Two of the major ADMs of DepEd include the Modified In-School, Off-School Approach
(MISOSA) and the Enhanced Instructional Management by Parents, Community, and
Teachers (e-IMPACT) MISOSA. ADM that addresses issues in accessibility and quality of
education in schools handled by a few teachers teaching multigrade classes, and allows
learners who are otherwise prone to prolonged or seasonal absences to enter and exit when
needed, learning from modules with the support of fellow learners, family members, and the
community, and their progress/advancement measured via mastery tests taken in the school.

In conclusion, the Philippines has made some progress towards achieving Sustainable
Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which focuses on quality education. However, the journey
towards fully meeting the targets set by SDG 4 is still ongoing and requires more effort.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, as of January 2023, there has been
progress in SDG 4 since 2000, but it is still short of the expected progress for [Link]
COVID-19 pandemic has caused reversal effects, with an increase of about 2 percent points
on the average dropout rate among elementary and high school students. The Anticipated
Progress Index indicates that 16.7% of the targets with measurable progress are on track, but a
significant 42.9% requires accelerated efforts, and 40.5% require exponential acceleration to
reverse the downtrend and achieve the goals by 2030.

While there are efforts and initiatives underway to implement the SDGs and SDG 4
in the country, there is still a pressing need for the government to formulate a clear country
architecture and coordination mechanism for the effective implementation of the SDGs with a
focus on carrying out concrete action plans, increasing the funding and resources, reforming
relevant policies, as well as improving institutional coordination. To accelerate progress for
the achievement of the SDGs, the government must commit to align investments, policies,
and programs with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It is highly recognized that youth, educators, and CSOs play significant roles in all
stages of education. These actors can influence policy development and program design,
contribute to narrowing persistent gaps in educational outcomes as well. as transform the
education system into one that is inclusive, equitable, and of good quality. Hence, it is crucial
to open up. broader spaces and start meaningful dialogue with young people, teachers and
education personnel, and civil society.

To successfully achieve SDG 4, the Philippines may consider as per Education Network
Philippines. (2019):
 Take the necessary measures to achieve all SDG 4 targets. and not only what is being
measured;
 Improve data collection and analysis to effectively monitor the progress on the SDGs,
particularly SDG 4;
 Substantially increase the national education budgets to achieve the SDG 4 targets and
locate additional funds, for example, by expanding the tax base and
ensuring corporations contribute their fair share of tax;
 Use a pro-poor approach and link education and training for decent work at the local
level for relevant job opportunities
 Strengthen the regulation of private schools to ensure non-discriminatory and inclusive
policies, respect for the right to education and compliance with national standards and
obligations.
 Develop and strengthen programs and pathways to learning opportunities for the
marginalized, excluded, and vulnerable (MEV) groups, especially the rural youth, girls,
and women, children with disabilities, indigenous groups, among many others;
 Strongly encourage child participation in schools and strengthen school child protection
for a positive and safe learning environment; and
 Ensure the quality of pre-service teacher education and availability of teacher training
programs to educate and improve teachers and other educational personnel, well-
equipped to respond to students’ learning needs.
Reference
SDG Goal 4: Quality Education - UNICEF DATA. (2023a, September 20). UNICEF DATA.
[Link]
%20ensure,terms%20of%20access%20and%20quality.

Staff, C., & Staff, C. (2023, November 28). Quality Education: Advocacy for Filipino Street
children. ChildHope Philippines.
[Link]

Goal 4 – Quality Education - SDGs - Philippines. (2021, September 28). SDGs - Philippines.
[Link]
‌
De La Fuente, J. K. (2022, August 9). Education policy priorities and reform in the
Philippines. TeacherPH.
[Link]

Progress on the Philippine Sustainable Development Goals based on the SDG Watch posted
on 27 January 2023 | Philippine Statistics Authority | Republic of the Philippines. (2023, June
29).
[Link]
watch-posted-27-january-2023

“Secretary Manalo Presents PH Progress in the Implementation of Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) | Philippines.” n.d.
[Link]
implementation-sustainable-development-goals-sdgs.

Education Network Philippines. (2019). Philippines Spotlight Report on SDG 4, 2019.

[Link]
PHILIPPINES_Spotlight_Report_on_SDG_4_2019-[Link]