Kingdom of Bahrain Portal for Sustainable Development Goals

Goal Four: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development. Major progress has been made towards increasing access to education at all levels and increasing enrolment rates in schools particularly for women and girls. Basic literacy skills have improved tremendously, yet bolder efforts are needed to make even greater strides for achieving universal education goals. For example, the world has achieved equality in primary education between girls and boys, but few countries have achieved that target at all levels of education.

Overview of some indicators

Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age)

70.1%

Literacy rate

97.5%

Proportion of teacher who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training

100%

Indicators

Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
- Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children/young people: (a) in Grade 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
- Indicator 4.1.2: Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)
Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre- primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
- Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex
- Indicator 4.2.2: Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
- Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex
Target 4.4: 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
- Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth/adults with information and communication technology (ICT) skills by type of skill (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 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.
- Indicator 4.5.1: Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous people and conflict-affected as data become available) (Excel, 0.12MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
- Indicator 4.6.1: Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex
Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture's contribution to sustainable development.
- Indicator 4.7.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development, including gender equality and human rights, are mainstreamed at all levels in (a) national education policies, (b) curricula, (c) teacher education and (d) student assessment (Excel, 0.01MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 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
- Indicator 4.a.1: Proportion of schools with access to: (a) electricity; (b) the Internet for pedagogical purposes; (c) computers for pedagogical purposes; (d) adapted infrastructure and materials for students with disabilities; (e) basic drinking water; (f) single-sex basic sanitation facilities; and (g) basic handwashing facilities (as per the WASH indicator definitions) (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 4.b: By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries.
- Indicator 4.b.1: Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study
Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
- Indicator 4.c.1: Proportion of teachers in: (a) pre-primary; (b) primary; (c) lower secondary; and (d) upper secondary education who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)

Other Indicators

Policies & initiatives support the goal

Education Strategy and Infrastructure

The 10-year infrastructure plan for the Ministry of Education (2020-2030) looks to establish schools in various governorates of the Kingdom. Guided by innovative principles, the plan aims to digitally interconnect schools with a cutting-edge infrastructure suitable for the evolving demands of the 21st century. In March 2023, the Ministry of Education unveiled its Strategic Plan for 2023-2026, which aligns with the Government Plan (2023-2026) and the SDG 4 (Quality Education) targets. This strategic plan includes initiatives aimed at improving service levels and enhancing educational performance, all with the overall objective of closing the skills gap and boosting worker efficiency. The National Higher Education Strategy (2014–2024) is underway, led by the Higher Education Council (HEC), which aims to position Bahrain as a regional hub for quality higher education by equipping graduates with the skills, knowledge, and behaviors required to succeed in the global knowledge economy while contributing to the sustainable and competitive growth of Bahrain. The Strategy ensures that two percent of annual revenues by institutions are allocated to the career development of faculty members, while three percent are allocated to scientific research.

Digital Transformation

EduNET; the current national e-learning platform was published in 2015. The platform, serving all government schools in Bahrain, aims to enhance education quality through e-learning, promoting student self-learning, replacing traditional materials with digital methods, and involving parents more in their children’s academic lives. This initiative enabled the education sector to continue seamlessly during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.