A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF QUALITY EDUCATION ALIGNMENT WITH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4 (SDG-4) IN GOVERNMENT AND PUNJAB EDUCATION FOUNDATION SCHOOLS AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL
Keywords:
SDG-4, Quality Education, Punjab Education Foundation (PEF), Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), Primary Education, Teacher Capacity, Learning Outcomes.Abstract
Quality education is education that provides all learners with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to succeed in life and contribute to society, ensuring equal access and opportunities for everyone. This comparative study assessed the alignment of primary education quality with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) across centralized Government schools and decentralized Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) schools in District Bahawalpur. Employing a rigorous inferential statistical analysis of performance metrics, including Literacy and Numeracy Drive (LND) scores, the research confirmed the PEF model’s effectiveness in fulfilling access mandates. Critically, PEF schools demonstrated statistically comparable learning outcomes to resource-intensive Government schools, as confirmed by inferential statistical tests. However, the analysis identified a critical systemic gap in quality inputs, specifically the lower training levels of PEF teachers. The findings imply that achieving comprehensive SDG-4 compliance requires harmonizing quality inputs across the dual system, necessitating policy intervention to mandate cross-sectoral teacher capacity development.
