inclusive education in sub-saharan africa
assessing progress toward SDG 4 targets in gender, disability, and learning environment
project prompt: devise a learning analytics research project from conception (identify topic and research question) to realization (conduct and present analysis).
tools: R studio, R programming language, microsoft office, google suite, connected papers, world bank databank.
research question: “what is the relationship between sustainable development goal (SDG) targets on inclusive learning environments (4.a) and equitable & inclusive education (4.5)?”
methods: literature review, statistical analysis, big data analysis.
outcome: a research paper assessing progress toward SDG 4 targets in gender, disability, and learning environments.
as a nigerian, my research direction was inspired by my experience studying in the nigerian educational system. i had witnessed firsthand the lack of investments in inclusive education by the public sector. i also noticed a gap in the research monitoring how sub-saharan africa was progressing toward the sustainable development goal (sdg) targets on inclusive education, and i wanted to highlight the region's performance while simultaneously establishing a connection between investments in inclusive learning environments and equitable and inclusive education.
abstract
in 2015, member states of the united nations unanimously embraced the united nations sustainable development goals (sdgs) (unesco, 2019), consisting of 17 goals and 169 targets aimed at addressing diverse global challenges (unesco, 2019). this study specifically centers on sdg 4, which advocates for "ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all" (unesco, 2019). the realization of sdg 4 demands a concerted effort from all stakeholders engaged in global and national educational development (gaskell, 2018; unesco, 2019). however, the sub-saharan africa region has much catching up to do to meet the 2030 deadline (gaskell, 2018).
recognized as a key catalyst for poverty eradication and improved life outcomes, access to quality education is pivotal (adesina & campbell, 2023). african countries, particularly those in sub-saharan africa, are reported to exhibit the lowest sustainable development performance globally, emphasizing the urgency for targeted interventions (li et al., 2021). this study gains relevance as africa plays a crucial role in achieving the global sdgs, necessitating focused attention on the region (li et al., 2021). moreover, education is deemed as crucial as health in realizing the sdgs (li et al., 2021). while various studies have explored other sdgs, such as governance and economic development in the region, inclusive education, especially, remains an under researched area (li et al., 2021).
this study aims to elicit insights on the progress of sub-saharan africa towards sdg 4 development goals, with a specific emphasis on sdg targets 4.5 — “by 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations” and 4.a — “build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all” — through a regression analysis.