Learning from Cradle to Grave: Attaining SDG Goal 4 to Ensure Lifelong Learning by Schools and Academic Libraries in Ghana

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals are to help alleviate poverty, combat inequality and injustice, and above all tackle climate change by 2030. Libraries in developing countries including Ghana are making major improvement towards increasing access to quality education at all levels of the educational ladder to bring the SDG 4 into reality. This paper investigated the readiness of departments and libraries within the University of Cape Coast fraternity to support the implementation of SDG 4 to ensure lifelong learning within the contextual setting of the University of Cape Coast. Available opportunities to achieve SDG 4 at University of Cape Coast were also explored. The University of Cape Coast Primary School, University Practice Junior High School, University Practice Senior High School and tertiary level were purposely used for the study. Interviews and observations were used for data collection. The interview responses were reported from the study. The study found out that frantic efforts are being made to ensure learning from the cradle to the grave and thus achieve SDG 4 in all its educational level. UCC educational institutions understand SDG 4 but there is still a room for improvement in terms of collaboration, acquiring relevant resource materials and enough funding to carry out inclusive education at the University of Cape Coast.

Keywords: Academic libraries, Ghana, Information literacy, Lifelong learning, Schools, SDG goal 4, University of Cape Coast.

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