The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the fourth of which is “quality education”, namely: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.  (Click here for details)

Under this major goal, there are 13 targets, the sixth of which is “ By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy”.

● Current Situation

About the World

Further Improve Global Youth Literacy

According to the latest estimate by UNESCO, the global youth literacy rate is about 91%, which means that 102 million young people still can not read. In the low-income countries, about a third of young people are still illiterate. The literacy rate of the global adult is 86%, which means that 750 million adults are illiterate. Based on the current progress, UNESCO estimated that by 2030, the literacy rate of global young people will rise to 94%.

Text and photo source: UN website 

About China

From Zero to Education Power 

Photo source: xinhuanet.com

When the People’s Republic of China was just establised, its basic education was weak with the enrollment rate of school-age children in primary schools was less than 20% while junior middle schools rate was only 6%. There were only 117,000 students who received higher education. More than 80% of the population is illiterate. The rural illiterate rate is as high as 95%. In some remote villages, there was even no one who could read a word. It is an urgent task to eliminate illiteracy. After decades of continuous efforts, in 2011 China has fully completed the strategic task of popularizing nine-year compulsory education and eliminating illiteracy among young and middle-aged people. The Chinese nation's educational ideal of "learning to teach" and "teaching without discrimination" has become realities.

Text source: rmlt.com.cn

●  Cases

About the World

Improving Learning Outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Photo source: baidu.com

Initiated and funded by the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales, the "Improve Learning Outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander" programme aims to improve students' literacy and numeracy, their confidence, self-management and learning aspirations by deepening teachers' direct contact with aboriginal students in the classroom. The programme was implemented in 2016 in four urban and regional private schools in New South Wales, where the enrollment rate of indigenous students is higher than the average. 

Text source: cunet.com.cn

About China

Adult Education in China’s Rural Areas

Photo source: nccrjy.cn

The development of China’s rural adult education has laid a solid foundation for ensuring that all young people and most adult men and women have literacy and numeracy skills. China make full use of all kinds of educational resources in rural areas, give full play to the role of primary and secondary schools as well as adult schools in rural areas, carry out different contents and forms subject to local needs and conditions, and combine practical technical training in rural areas, training for the transfer of surplus labor force, scientific and technological training for young farmers, and social education for rural adults. The target young people who shall have the basis ability to read, write and calculate, can learn one or more practical skills needed for making a living. China also has on-line education for training vocational, scientific and technological skills for the young people, so as to help them increase their income and employment opportunities.

Text source: Guangming Daily

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On January 1, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.