The text of this report concentrates on areas of policy responsibility that are within the ambit of education authorities of the member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). An underlying argument throughout is that OECD countries must become "learning societies" embracing all forms of education and training if they are to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Education must be of high quality not just in regular schools but also in the vocational and higher education institutions and in the training provided by public bodies and private enterprises. The OECD countries cannot afford to allow a large pool of their potential talent to lie unexploited. Education and training should be available widely and enjoyed recurrently throughout each person's lifespan. Both initial and recurrent education must be reinforced. The rapidity of structural and technological change and the decline of unskilled and semi-skilled work call for the continual renewal of knowledge and skills. The report argues that the 1990s should be a decade when substantial efforts are made to meet the learning needs of all, which implies giving priority to those who benefit least from education and training. The report is divided into three parts: (1) the ministerial debate on high quality education and training for all; (2) the analytical background; and (3) a statistical overview. The second section includes issues of economic and societal change, educational quality, and problems facing teachers such as shortage of personnel, decline of professionalism, and the increasing demands placed upon them. (DK)