It facilitates appropriate policy and decision-making, while taking into account investments in other public sectors. Education is critical for promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of people to address their sustainable development concerns. While basic education provides the underpinnings for any environmental and development education, the latter needs to be incorporated as an essential part of learning. It is also critical for achieving awareness, values, skills and behaviour consistent with sustainable development, and for effective participation in decision making. Financial resources for education directly determines school capacity and quality, which in turn influences enrolment, retention and learning of children and youth in school.
Relevance is increased if disaggregation to primary, secondary, and tertiary education is feasible.
Education is closely linked to other indicators reflecting basic needs, capacity building, information and science, and the role of major groups. This measure is also closely linked to other GDP and expenditure indicators. The effect of expenditure on education can be verified by changes in enrolment ratios and literacy rates. These ratios and rates in turn indicate shortfalls and disparities which require modifications in the allocation of financial resource for education. There is no standard international target for GDP spent on education.