ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the sustainable development goals (SDGs) primarily for what they tell people about the state of the education and development debate, both in terms of how far the SDGs offer a new vision of education for development. Clearly, education for the achievement of the SDGs is a far less radical thing than some models of education for sustainable development. Sections of the international non-governmental organisations community are demanding that global tax reforms be used to fund much of the increased cost of the SDGs. There is an element of human resources for the SDGs, contained in targets that refer to the growth of professional cadres to deliver elements of the SDGs. Arguments about the role of vocational and professional education in contributing to the achievement of a number of SDGs is not inconsistent with a human capital approach, although it is also an important element of the capabilities approach to education.
