How's the UK doing in relation to the SDGs do you think?<\/p>\n
I know this is not a question that is the discussion of the day in pubs or even in louche vegan wine bars in Camden, but it has been exercising my mind of late as I've been drafting (as part of a team working with UKSSD) a report on the current position with respect to the targets within SDG 4:\u00a0Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning<\/em>. \u00a0This task has proved very difficult verging on the impossible \u2013 but more of that another day.<\/p>\n Happily (or unhappily depending on your point of view), the Office for National Statistics [ONS<\/a>] has also been beavering away on this task (with rather more resources to hand than I have). \u00a0The difference between what ONS is doing, and what I have done, is that ONS is looking at indicators<\/em> and I've been looking more widely at\u00a0targets<\/em>. \u00a0Of course, you can only say something sensible about targets by having indicators of one sort or another in your mind. \u00a0For SDG 4, there are 10 targets and 11 indicators, and you'll find these here<\/a> and also\u00a0here<\/a> (if you want the authorised version).\u00a0\u00a0 Essentially, the indicators are one narrow aspect of what can be a wide-ranging target. As such, meeting an indicator can sill mean you miss much of the target (See Evaluation Studies<\/em> 101).<\/p>\n Target 4.4 illustrates this problem:<\/p>\n By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But Indicator 4.4.1 merely says:<\/p>\n Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n You see the problem. \u00a0It's something I commented<\/a> on last year.<\/p>\n