UNESCO-Institute for Statistics

UIS

The Quality Factor: Strengthening National Data to Monitor Sustainable Development Goal 4: SDG 4 DATA DIGEST 2017.

Montreal

2017

978-92-9189-217-4

Countries are struggling to respond to the unprecedented demand for more and better data associated with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In education, the international community has agreed to use a set of 11 global indicators and 32 thematic indicators to monitor progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4. Yet the challenge to produce them is enormous. According to the world′s most comprehensive global education database – produced by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) – less than half of countries are currently reporting 19 global and thematic indicators and only 1 global indicator and 6 thematic indicators have coverage exceeding 75%.

As the official data source for SDG 4–Education 2030, the UIS works on a daily basis with national statistical offices and ministries of education around the world to collect the data and apply the standards and methodologies needed to produce cross-nationally comparable indicators. The Institute understands the challenges facing national statisticians and is therefore uniquely placed to help countries strengthen their statistical capacities.

This report presents a comprehensive strategy and framework to improve the quality of data needed to implement and monitor progress towards the SDG 4–Education 2030 Agenda. It showcases a concrete set of tools designed to help countries strengthen each stage of their national education statistical systems – from diagnostic tools to evaluate data availability and quality to the frameworks and guidelines needed to initiate a national strategy for the development of education statistics that directly responds to policy priorities. The report also addresses the wider statistical capacity-development issues facing countries, donors and partners. Above all, the UIS shows the way forward to building better statistical systems by providing national stakeholders with the tools and strategies they need to produce high-quality education data and achieve their development goals.

Table of contents

Acronyms and abbreviations

Foreword

Introduction

1. Monitoring the international education agenda
1.1 The new monitoring framework for SDG 4
1.2 The development and implementation of global and thematic indicator frameworks for SDG 4
1.2.1 The global indicator framework
1.2.2 The thematic indicator framework
1.3 The challenge of producing the required data for the indicators
2. Producing quality statistics to monitor progress towards SDG 4
2.1 A data revolution in education for quality data
2.2 Producing education data at the national level according to quality standards
2.2.1 Defining and implementing the standards
2.2.2 Using data quality assessment frameworks with national education statistics
2.3 Producing quality SDG 4 indicators for global monitoring frameworks
2.3.1 Development of international definitions and standards for producing SDG 4 indicators
2.3.2 Data collection, processing and validation
2.3.3 Disssemination

3. Supporting the development of national statistical capacities to monitor SDG 4
3.1 Designing and implementing a National Strategy for the Development of Education
Statistics (NSDES)
3.2 Mapping data sources and the availability of information
3.3 Assessing the quality of SDG 4 information sources
3.3.1 Data quality analysis of administrative routine systems
3.3.2 Data quality analysis of sources for government education expenditure data
3.3.3 Data quality analysis of education household surveys
3.3.4 Data quality analysis of learning outcomes assessments
3.4 Towards a coordinated approach to education data production

Conclusions

References
Annex 1. UIS Code of Practice for education statistics: Principles and indicators
Annex 2. Links between the UIS Code of Practice for education statistics and the UN National
Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF)
Annex 3. National capacity development implementation strategies
Annex 4. SDG 4 targets by data source
Annex 5. Twelve main questions to assess the data quality of government financial systems

↑ http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0026/002606/260652e.pdf

12.12.2017