Latest news with #SDG4
The Hindu
20-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Analysing Internet access and digital skills in India
One important target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education. Within this broad goal, there are two important targets pertaining to Internet and digital skills. Target 4.4.1 talks about the share of youth and adult population who have some Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skill. Target 4.4.2 pertains to a degree of proficiency in digital skills. Therefore, to attain the SDG4 target of education, providing ICT infrastructure and assessing digital skills is important. The data to assess these skills were rather sparse until the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) conducted the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) between July 2022 and June 2023. This is arguably the first sample survey which asks a set of questions about people's access to, and use of, digital technology. The survey was conducted across India in 3.02 lakh households and with 12.99 lakh people. At the all-India level, 76.3% of households have broadband Internet facilities. In rural areas, 71.2% of households have the facility, while in urban areas, 86.5% do. This data shows the deep penetration of the Internet in India. But there are variations across States, castes, gender, and class. In some States, more than 90% of the households have a broadband connection. These include Delhi, Goa, Mizoram, Manipur, Sikkim, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. But in some other States, fewer than 70% have a broadband connection. These include West Bengal (69.3%), Andhra Pradesh (66.5%), Odisha (65.3%), and Arunachal Pradesh (60.2%). There are also significant variation within caste groups on the issue of broadband connectivity at home. In households in the general category, 84.1% have broadband connection, while the numbers for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are 77.5%, 69.1%, and 64.8% respectively. While it is significant that within all social groups, the majority of the households have broadband connectivity, OBC, SC, and ST communities are still significantly behind households in the general category in this aspect. The most striking difference predictably exists in terms of income. Generally, the monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) is used as a proxy for income, since income data at the household level is not available. From the unit-level data of CAMS, we have arranged the population from the bottom 10% to the top 10% in terms of MPCE (Chart 1). Chart 1 | The chart shows the broadband connectivity of households according to the decile classes of Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (in %) While in the lowest decile class, 71.6% households don't have broadband connectivity, the number for the highest decile class is only 1.9%. However, even for those who belong to the second lowest decile class, the majority (56.2%) have broadband connection at home. In other words, while the poorest are still on the wrong side of the digital divide, broadband connectivity improves with every decile class. Economic status is a significant determinant of broadband connectivity. The government has said that provision of high-speed Internet is a fundamental utility akin to water or electricity (Digital India website). To facilitate coverage of the poorest sections of the society, the government can think of subsidising broadband connections so that there is universal coverage. According to the CAMS report, 94.2% of rural households and 97.1% of urban households have mobile or telephone connections in their households. When we look at people aged 15 years and above, 92.4% in urban areas and 83.9% in rural areas can use mobile phones. However, a deeper look at the data shows that the use of mobile phones is not as universal as the headline numbers suggest. Table 2 shows the share of the population who use a mobile phone with an active SIM card exclusively, for making calls or accessing the Internet. The data shows that women and socially deprived sections are at a disadvantage. For example, within the general category, only 25.3% of women use mobile phones exclusively in rural areas, while the number for urban areas is 51.2%. For SCs, STs, and OBCs, the numbers are far below the general category for both men and women. While there is a lot of discussion about 5G connectivity in India, data show that just more than half the population in rural areas uses 4G, while more than 70% in urban areas use the same. A significant share of the population (40.4%) still uses mobile technology which is more primitive than 4G. The share of people with 5G connectivity is negligible in the country. To gauge digital skills, we focused on some basic tasks such as using the Internet, sending emails, copy-pasting from documents, using arithmetic operations in spreadsheets, and performing online banking transactions (Chart 3). Chart 3 | Select digital skills of the rural and urban populations of India (15 years and above) (in %) Around 53.6% of the population (15 years and above) can use the Internet in rural areas and 74% in urban areas. The proportion who can send/receive emails is even lower (20% for rural, 40% for urban). Only around 40% of the rural population can perform the copy-paste function, while 60% of the urban population can. The share of people who can perform arithmetic operations in spreadsheets is extremely low. Only 37.8% of India's population aged 15 years and above can perform online banking transactions. Subhanil Chowdhury is an Associate Professor of Economics at St. Xavier's University, Kolkata, and Samiran Sengupta is a data analyst
Hindustan Times
19-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
THE Impact Rankings 2025: Amrita Vidyapeetham grabs spot among world's top 50 institutions
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has secured an overall global rank of 41 in the recently released Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025, making it the the only higher education institution in the country to figure in world's top 50 universities list Last year, the university was ranked 81st globally. Also read: QS World University Rankings 2026: Oxford, Harvard topple down, Stanford climbs up, check details Besides, the institution has also emerged as India's highest SDG impact university. The university has ranked 5th globally for SDG 4 (Quality Education) and 6th for SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), placing it among the highest-performing institutions globally in these categories, a press statement informed. Additionally, the university ranked 14th for SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and 29th for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), that indicate inclusive and equitable growth. Also read: Rajasthan RSOS 10th, 12th results 2025 declared, check details here Dr. Maneesha V. Ramesh, Provost of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development said, 'We credit this global recognition to the visionary guidance of our Chancellor, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), whose emphasis on compassion, service, and science forms the bedrock of Amrita's mission.' He added, 'These rankings reflect our deep commitment to building resilient communities through compassion-driven innovation and experiential education that bridges world-class research with grassroots impact.' It may be motioned here that Amrita achieved perfect scores in several key metrics, including lifelong learning initiatives such as skilling programs and distance education certificates aimed at the marginalized for enhanced educational access; gender equity in access and leadership; sustainability in clean energy and water; and the integration of SDGs into education and community engagement, the statement added. Also read: QS World University Rankings 2026: MIT tops, Imperial College London 2nd; IIT Delhi best Indian varsity Moreover, its Live-in-Labs program also achieved recognition for implementing over 150 real-world development projects across 25 Indian states. It is to be mentioned here that the THE Impact Rankings 2025 were the most competitive ever, with over 2,540 universities from 130 countries participating. India emerged as the most represented nation with 148 institutions.
See - Sada Elbalad
18-06-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
ICESCO, Malaysia Discuss Partnership for Inclusive, Sustainable Education
Mohamed Mandour As part of his participation in the annual ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held a bilateral meeting with Dr. Fadhlina Sidek, Malaysia's Minister of Education. The meeting focused on exploring ways to enhance cooperation between the two sides in the fields of education, innovation, and heritage preservation. Her Excellency the Minister presented key initiatives of the Malaysian Ministry of Education, which have made the country's education system a comprehensive model for achieving the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4). She noted that education in Malaysia is guided by a holistic vision that values quality, equity, and sustainability. For his part, Dr. AlMalik commended Malaysia's educational experience and stressed the importance of strengthening international partnerships to achieve inclusive education for all. He also highlighted ICESCO's initiatives in this regard, including its ongoing cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in support of the international PISA assessments. Dr. AlMalik invited Dr. Sidek to participate in the third Ministerial Conference on PISA, which will be organized by ICESCO in Samarkand in November 2025, and is considered an important platform for exchanging expertise and encouraging educational policy reform in Member States. The meeting also touched on the Greening Education initiative, launched by ICESCO in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, which aims to develop long-term strategic visions in the field of education. Dr. AlMalik also underscored the importance of integrating values of peace into school curricula and embedding them into the educational policies of Member States. The two sides also discussed the issue of girls' education in Afghanistan. Dr. AlMalik stressed the need for Member States to stand in solidarity and support ICESCO's efforts to ensure Afghan girls' right to education, affirming that this is a humanitarian and moral obligation that requires concrete cooperation from all. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lingnan comes No. 1 Worldwide in Quality Education - A significant first for Hong Kong
HONG KONG, June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lingnan University has marked a historic milestone with its worldwide first for SDG 4: Quality Education in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025. This is the first time a Hong Kong higher education institution has reached the top position internationally in any SDG category and demonstrates the University's valuable contributions to advancing quality education and advocating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, expressed his delight, saying, "The University is greatly encouraged by this outstanding achievement. Being No. 1 in the world for Quality Education confirms Lingnan's unwavering commitment to delivering top-tier education on a global scale. It also highlights Lingnan's dedication to fostering lifelong learning opportunities across diverse sectors of society through innovative teaching, effective knowledge transfer, and active community engagement. Moreover, Lingnan is one of the first universities in Hong Kong to provide free access to different versions of ChatGPT for staff and students, with the recent introduction of the DeepSeek option further improving research and work efficiency. These initiatives not only reflect our leadership by supporting inclusive, high-quality education but also our broader mission of creating a transformative societal outcome. Lingnan's excellence in research, teaching, and community outreach continues to drive real progress in advancing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals." President Qin noted that Lingnan University was placed first among the eight publicly funded universities in Hong Kong for "Undergraduate satisfaction with the quality and value gained from their teaching and learning experience" as assessed in the University Accountability Agreement for the 2022–2025 Triennium by the University Grants Committee (UGC). This latest position again affirms that Lingnan's excellence in quality education is recognised both locally and internationally. THE Impact Rankings rate universities all over the world based on their steps toward achieving the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and this year, 2,526 universities from 130 countries/regions participated, 1,975 pursuing the most competitive goal, SDG 4: Quality Education. Lingnan gave a strong performance throughout, and also climbed 100 places from last year, coming between 101 and 200 worldwide in the overall Impact Rankings. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Lingnan University Sign in to access your portfolio
India.com
17-06-2025
- General
- India.com
Over 272 Million Children Out of School Across World, Says UNESCO Report
A new report from UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring team reveals that more than 272 million children worldwide are currently out of school—an increase of over 21 million compared to earlier estimates. This rise is attributed to updated enrolment figures, revised population projections, and challenges such as the continued ban on girls' education in Afghanistan. The report cautions that many countries are likely to miss their 2025 national education targets for 75 million students, signalling that global efforts toward achieving universal education are seriously off course The increase in out-of-school children is mainly due to two key factors. Firstly, updated enrolment and attendance data—including the 2021 ban on school education for Afghan girls—contribute to around eight million of the rise. Secondly, revised UN population projections have added another 13 million, driven by a larger-than-expected school-age population, particularly among children aged 6 to 17, projected for 2025. According to the GEM team, the type of data source used plays a crucial role in shaping the estimates. In countries relying only on administrative records, population growth is entirely reflected in the out-of-school numbers—especially where recent data is unavailable. In contrast, countries that use survey-based data tend to show a more balanced distribution of the increased population between students who are enrolled and those who are not. According to the latest estimates: 11% of primary school age children (around 78 million) are out of school 15% of lower secondary age adolescents (approximately 64 million) are not attending school 31% of upper secondary age youth (nearly 130 million) remain out of the education system globally These estimates are derived from a model that integrates administrative records, household surveys, and census data to provide consistent global and regional education trends. However, the report points out that national statistics may vary, as they often rely on a single data source from a specific year, whereas the model fills in data gaps for missing years and offers short-term projections. One key concern highlighted is the underestimated impact of conflict on education. In crisis-affected areas, education data is frequently outdated or unavailable, making it difficult to fully grasp the extent of disruption. The model's assumption of continuous educational progress becomes a major limitation in such emergency contexts. While projections indicate that the number of out-of-school children worldwide could decrease by 165 million by 2030 if countries achieve their Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) targets, the report warns of a possible four to six percentage point shortfall by 2025—particularly among primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary school-age groups. UNESCO urges the development of more resilient education data systems and calls for urgent policy interventions to tackle the worsening education crisis, especially in conflict zones and under-resourced regions.
