Sustainable Development Goal 4 and Twelfth Development Plan: A Review on Turkey’s Quality Education Goals

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were launched by the United Nations in 2015 as part of a universal call to action to ensure that people around the world live in peace and wellbeing by 2030, and seventeen goals have been identified covering different areas within this ultimate goal. One of these goals is “Quality Education”. As one of the cornerstones of sustainable development, education is important for increasing social welfare and leaving a more livable world for future generations. Turkey's goals in the field of education are reflected in development plans, which serve as the upper framework. Development plans include a series of targets and indicators in the areas of economic, social and environmental development, particularly education. As of 2024, Turkey's education goals are defined in the 12^th Development Plan covering the period 2024-2029. This study aims to evaluate the alignment between “Goal 4: Quality Education” and the education targets and indicators in the 12th Development Plan and to assess Turkey's position in the sustainable development process in the field of education. The analysis shows that the education targets in Turkey's 12th Development Plan are largely in line with SDG 4.  It can be concluded that there is potential for further improvement in some areas, such as higher education accessibility, gender equality and early childhood education, where steps have been taken to achieve these goals. In line with these conclusions, for Turkey to achieve its sustainable development goals in the field of education, it would be beneficial to constantly monitor education policies and adapt them according to national and global needs.