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During the 1990s, the demand for individuals, economies and societies to raise their education levels has led to increased participation in a broadening range of learning activities by people of all ages. The challenge is to meet the growing demand for learning whilst ensuring that the learning opportunities respond effectively to the needs of learners. However, disparities in educational progress exist both between and within nations. Governments are increasingly using international comparative policy analysis to inform effective educational policy formation. As a result several countries along with OECD and UNESCO launched the World Education Indicators (WEI) pilot program in 1997 with financial support from the World Bank. This report presents an initial analysis of the data collected through this program. It synthesises data from WEI participating countries with that of OECD countries. The report demonstrates the comparative performance of education systems from a range of countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Paraguay, the Philippines, Uruguay, the Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Zimbabwe and OECD countries. The analysis examines the financial and human resources invested in education, the operation and evolution of education and learning systems, and the returns to educational investment. Chapter 1 provides brief profiles of each country, highlighting educational policy, challenges faced by the education system, and reforms intended to address these challenges. Chapters 2 and 3 use an international comparative framework to analyse how countries have responded to educational demands and the effectiveness of these responses. The annex contains the indicators supporting the analysis, the classification of national education programs, and other relevant technical information.