Chapter 10: Conclusion

Education is a critical part of the global community’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – the world’s three Ps action plan in support of ‘people, planet and prosperity’. SDG Four specifically calls the world to ‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’. While education is an SDG in and of itself, its importance is also underscored in that it underpins all of the other SDGs; indeed, a number of the other SDGs have targets related to education subsumed within them.

As outlined in the Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action, ‘inclusion and equity in and through education is the cornerstone of a transformative education agenda’ (Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action, p. 7). Inclusive education as a SDG involves building inclusive schools’ policy, culture and sustainable practices. This involves adapting to the diverse needs of learners by the use of various teaching methods, approaches and multiple modes of engagement, by developing pupils’ competencies to construct their own lives and contribute to decision-making processes in the community.