Conclusions on missing education data and the SDG 4 data regime

As we approach the end of the Sustainable Development Goals’ agenda deadline of 2030, the achievement of equitable education for all remains uncertain in part due to missing data within the global education data regime. This book has shown how data gaps affect contexts and groups that are least likely to realize the promises of SDG 4 to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. In this conclusion, we synthesize the gaps in terms of types of data, marginalized groups within the education data system, and uses of data. We link these shared themes to the conceptual framework presented in Chapter 2. Finally, we argue that the final years of the SDG 4 agenda should prioritize data that are useful for improving education outcomes and that this may result in prioritizing national education data systems over cross-country indicators.