In this letter exchange between Vaibhav from India and Margaux from Belgium, two students explore what quality education (SDG 4) means in their countries. From challenges like teacher shortages, rising tuition, and unequal access to opportunities, to hopeful signs such as policy reforms, tutoring initiatives, and the role of technology, their dialogue offers an honest and thoughtful comparison of how education systems are evolving across borders; rooted in both personal experience and broader structural reflections.
Letter 1
Dear Margaux
Hope you’re doing great! I’m really looking forward to this pen pal exchange, and since we’re diving into SDG 4, Quality Education, I thought I’d share some thoughts from where I stand here in India.
For me, quality education isn’t just about acing exams or memorizing formulas. It’s really about picking up life skills, stuff that makes us independent, capable, and actually useful to the world around us. A good education should help us think for ourselves, keep up with a changing world, and do something meaningful with what we learn, not just prep us to tick boxes and chase certificates. But sadly, here in India, especially in rural areas, the system is still very focused on rote learning. Students are expected to memorize more than actually understand things. That said, I do see signs of change.
India’s New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 feels like a step in the right direction. It’s trying to move away from this whole “cram-and-pass” model and focus more on skills and real-world learning. If it’s rolled out properly, it could bring in much-needed creativity, flexibility, and practical thinking. But let’s be honest, change here takes time, especially with all the red tape. From what I’ve seen, most people who do well academically here usually succeed despite the system, not because of it.
One of the biggest issues is the massive gap between public and private education. Most kids go to government schools, but these often lack resources, good teachers, and basic infrastructure. On the flip side, private schools are much better but super expensive, so quality education ends up being a privilege instead of a right. And it gets even tougher in college, tuition fees are climbing, and student debt is becoming a serious issue, kinda like what I’ve read about in the US.
Another challenge is that teaching isn’t always seen as a dream job here. For many, it’s more of a fallback career. The pay and respect teachers get doesn’t really match the kind of impact they have. But I’ve been lucky, I’ve had a few amazing teachers who made learning feel exciting and meaningful. Honestly, a great teacher can completely change someone’s life. If we want to fix education, we’ve got to start making teaching a respected and rewarding profession so that more passionate, talented people want to join it.
Still, there’s hope. Case-based learning, hands-on experiences, and skill-focused courses are slowly catching on. Tech is also opening up new doors. Internet costs have dropped a lot recently, making online learning more accessible, even in remote areas. Platforms with AI and digital content are giving students access to top-notch learning at little to no cost. It’s crazy to think how fast that’s changing things.
Government programs are doing their bit too. The Mid-Day Meal Scheme, for example, gives kids free lunch to boost school attendance. And there are awesome initiatives like Teach for India and Pratham. Plus, campaigns like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (“Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child”) are helping more girls go to school, and in some subjects, girls are even outperforming boys now, which would’ve been hard to imagine a few decades ago.
That said, there’s still a long road ahead. Our curriculum needs to catch up with what industries actually want. We need to stop teaching just from textbooks and start giving students real, hands-on learning experiences. More than anything, we need an education system that builds curiosity, problem-solving, and the ability to adapt, skills that’ll really help us in the future.
I’d love to know what education looks like on your side of the world. What does “quality education” mean to you? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts soon!
Warm regards
Vaibhav
Your Pen Friend
Letter 2
Dear Vaibhav
I hope this letter finds you well. I am also very excited to be a part of the Global pen friends project and to be your pen pal! I am really enthusiastic to learn more about your Indian perspective and I look forward to sharing my Belgian point of view with you about SDG4, the quality of education.
Before I respond to your letter and tell you more about my home situation and perspective, I want to share what I find particularly interesting about Sustainable Development Goal 4. It reflects a shift in perspective compared to the Millennium Development Goals, which primarily focused on the quantity of education. Now, instead of counting the number of hours, days or years a person has access to schooling, the emphasis is on the effectiveness of learning opportunities, ensuring that students become knowledgeable, capable individuals.
From an economic standpoint, I’m an economics student which you’ll likely notice in my reasoning, investing in the quality of education yields a higher return than simply expanding its quantity. Moreover, education is, in my opinion, a universal right, an essential principle that carries both equity and efficiency arguments, and one that must be acknowledged. I find that only by prioritizing quality can we ensure that everyone receives the fundamental and necessary education they deserve, creating a world where access to knowledge is not a privilege but a right, as you mentioned in your letter.
Turning to Belgium, tuition fees are generally quite low, so student debt isn’t very common here. Of course, this can still be challenging for students in difficult financial circumstances, especially with rising housing costs, but that’s a whole other discussion. However, Belgium currently faces not just a shortage of passionate teachers but a shortage of teachers overall. In high schools, for example, some students can’t take subjects like math or languages simply because there’s no one available to teach them.
In my opinion, if we could place more emphasis on the quality of education, developing effective teaching methods, clear explanations, and independent learning strategies, this shortage might be overcome. Additionally, as you mentioned, technology can do so much in the field of education. Knowledge is just a tap away, and I’m glad to hear it’s becoming increasingly accessible in India.
Passionate teachers truly make a difference! I, too, was fortunate to have teachers who genuinely loved what they did. When I was younger, I used to pretend to be a teacher, and I began tutoring at age fourteen. Now that I’m twenty-one, I still work as a math tutor as my student job, and I also volunteer at a school where I tutor children in challenging circumstances. I believe student-to-student tutoring is incredibly valuable, everyone benefits, and it fosters a supportive learning community. There’s something about the “students for students” concept that really expands learning opportunities, and I think initiatives like these can make a meaningful difference in people’s educational paths.
In Belgium, a great deal of importance is still placed on obtaining a degree. Parents often expect their children to attend college, and for most jobs, a degree is required. Personally, I’m a big fan of studying, learning and school, so at first glance, I would naturally place a high value on having a degree. However, I believe the real value lies in genuinely learning, truly understanding something, being able to explain it, rather than just memorizing material, taking a test, passing, and then forgetting it. Sometimes I feel that in Belgium, we study mainly to earn a degree, rather than to actually learn.
To answer your question about what truly defines quality education: for me, education is one of the most powerful tools for bridging social and economic disparities, regardless of a person’s background or circumstances. It is crucial to recognize the diversity of individuals and their needs, allowing education to serve as a true equalizer, one that focuses not just on access, but on meaningful, high-quality learning experiences. The real quality lies in the tool’s education provides, the difference a great teacher can make in someone’s life and the lessons one is granted to learn, not purely in the piece of paper you earn at the end.
Since we live in completely different parts of the world, I was wondering: how do you think Indian culture and tradition influence approaches to teaching and learning, and how does that impact the achievement of SDG 4?
I can’t wait to hear back from you!
Warm regards
Margaux
Your Pen Friend from Belgium
Letter 3
Dear Margaux,
Hope you’re doing great! I really enjoyed reading your thoughtful response, it’s so refreshing to hear the Belgian perspective on SDG 4. I loved how deeply you talked about education as a universal right and a tool for reducing social and economic gaps. Your passion for tutoring and the whole “students for students” idea really stood out to me. It’s amazing how learning can become a shared experience that brings people together.
Since you asked, I thought I’d share a bit more about how Indian culture and traditions shape our way of learning and teaching. Education here has always had a strong connection with our cultural roots. Back in ancient times, we had this system called the gurukul, where students actually lived with their teachers. Learning wasn’t just about textbooks, it was about life. They’d learn through stories, discussions, debates, and real-life experiences, focusing on values, skills, and personal growth. It was super immersive and honestly, pretty ahead of its time in terms of holistic development.
Even now, you can still see bits of that tradition. A lot of schools still include moral education, celebrate cultural festivals, and teach kids about India’s rich history to keep that sense of identity alive. Also, respecting teachers is still a big part of our culture, much like what you described in Belgium. That said, schools today are also trying to find a balance between keeping those values alive and keeping up with the fast-paced, tech-driven world we live in. Technology’s playing a big role here, it’s helping us access top-notch learning material while still holding on to who we are culturally.
I also found your point about decoloniality in education really relevant. In India, that’s something we’re working through as well. A lot of our current education system still reflects colonial-era influences, especially in terms of how knowledge is framed, Western models are often seen as the default. But slowly, there’s a shift happening. More effort is going into including local histories, regional languages, and community perspectives in our textbooks, especially for marginalized groups like the Adivasis (our indigenous communities). It’s about making education more inclusive and helping people reclaim their own stories.
When it comes to achieving SDG 4, one big factor in India is just how diverse we are, so many languages, cultures, and different living conditions. That diversity makes things complicated, but also super rich in terms of educational approaches. The government is trying to address this through targeted programs. For instance, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is focused on improving education for girls, and the Aspirational Districts initiative works on improving education (and other areas) in the most underdeveloped parts of the country. So yes, the intent is there, to make education fair and accessible to all.
But of course, we still face a lot of challenges. Like you mentioned about Belgium’s teacher shortage, India also struggles with having enough well-trained teachers, especially in public schools. Private schools often have better resources, but they’re not affordable for everyone. So we’re dealing with that same global issue, how to make good education available to all, not just a lucky few. What we really need is a system-wide push: better teacher training, more incentives to join the profession, and more support for schools that are struggling.
And I totally agree with your thoughts on what quality education really means. It’s not just about degrees or grades, it’s about learning things that actually help you in real life. Here too, there’s a slow but noticeable shift happening. Skill-based and experience-driven learning is getting more attention. Digital tools are also changing how students learn, there’s so much out there now that helps you learn beyond the classroom. But the real challenge is still how to make students curious and excited to learn, not just study to pass.
I’d love to hear more about how Belgium is dealing with the teacher shortage or using tech in classrooms. I think we could learn a lot from your experiences. Looking forward to continuing this super interesting exchange!
Warmly,
Vaibhav
Your Pen Friend from India
Letter 4
Dear Vaibhav
It was such a pleasure to read your letter! I truly enjoy learning more about India’s educational history and current situation. It’s amazing how much we can discover about the world and each other’s homes through this exchange, a true benefit of our globalized society.
Let me tell you a bit more about the situation here in Belgium.
Like I mentioned in my previous letter, we’re facing a serious teacher shortage. To deal with this, schools are allowing people without a formal teaching degree to step into classrooms. These individuals receive coaching and often start with co-teaching, under the philosophy of “better someone in front of the class than no one.”
It’s really a supply and demand problem. As of September 2024, there were only 0.76 candidates per vacancy in kindergarten and primary schools, and 0.92 candidates per vacancy in secondary schools. So on average, there are fewer than one candidate available per teaching position. This shortage is both structural and due to high dropout rates among teachers.
The good news is that in September 2024, the number of open teaching vacancies was almost 15% lower than in 2023, and more people are enrolling in teacher training programs. However, we still face the challenge that too few people want to become teachers, and too many existing teachers are leaving the profession. Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes. Together with the goal of strengthening education quality, this issue calls for long-term, structural solutions. These must be developed collaboratively with all educational stakeholders; schools, teacher training institutions, unions, education providers, teachers and trainers.
Another important aspect of quality education, which is often overlooked, is the well-being of teachers. In Belgium, many teachers are facing high workloads, stress, and even burnout. Studies show that around one in four teachers leaves the profession within five years. While teaching can be a deeply meaningful job, it is also emotionally and mentally demanding. To truly achieve SDG 4, we must also provide proper support, appreciation and working conditions for teachers. Without strong, motivated educators, quality education simply isn’t possible.
Another topic you asked me about is the technology in education in Belgium. I remember starting elementary school with chalkboards, but not long after, they were replaced by smart boards, large touchscreen boards with the functions of a computer. In high school, we used tablets and school laptops, and now, every high school student has their own personal school laptop. At university, I honestly cannot imagine studying without my computer. The sound of typing in a classroom has become as normal as hearing crickets at night!
Technology is involved in almost everything we do, and with the rise of AI, this will only increase. I believe technology in the classroom can be both powerful and risky. It allows learning to continue during illness, pandemics or even across borders. Students can attend classes from professors in different countries and learning becomes more flexible than ever. It can really help achieve the goals set in light of SDG 4! However, there are also concerns. First, equal access must be ensured. Technology should bridge gaps, not widen them. Differences in home access to the internet or parents’ familiarity with tech, must be addressed. Also, we shouldn’t become too dependent on new tools. Personally, I’m glad I grew up without ChatGPT, I learned to think, write and reason for myself. I worry that if we rely too much on AI, these fundamental skills might slowly fade away.
To end my letter, I wanted to share a little bit about the history and culture of education in Belgium, since I really enjoyed reading about yours. In Belgium, the Catholic Church played a major role in education for a long time, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries. This even led to political conflicts, called the “school wars”, between supporters of religious schools and advocates of state-run, neutral education. Today, the Catholic school system remains the largest in Flanders (the Northern-Dutch-speaking part of Belgium), but it has become more open and modern, while still inspired by Christian values. Education is highly valued in Belgium and each linguistic community (Dutch, French, and German) organizes its own school system.
Lastly, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy through the Erasmus program, and it was truly one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had. It deepened my love for connecting with people from different cultures, which is also one of the reasons I joined this letter exchange project. In Belgium, opportunities like this are quite accessible and strongly encouraged. There are various scholarships available, often depending on your financial situation, to make studying abroad possible for many students.
I know this is the formal end of our letter exchange, however I still have a few questions for ySo if you ever find the time, I’d love to keep our conversation going!
Have you ever had the chance to study abroad, or would you like to? What kind of opportunities or challenges do students in your country face when it comes to international education?
Thank you so much for all the interesting insights and for this wonderful experience!
Looking forward to hearing from you again!
Warm regards
Margaux
Your Pen Friend from Belgium