Argues that bilingual education in developing countries represents an encouraging facet of efforts to improve primary schooling both quantitatively in terms of participation and qualitatively in terms of learning processes. Using examples from Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Mozambique, and Bolivia, demonstrates advantages of bilingual programming in educational development. Argues that use of mother tongue positively impacts quality indicators that have often been neglected in the drive for universal primary education. (Author/VWL)