This collection of scholarly essays on comparative education is divided into four sections. The first section, Viewpoints/Controversies, contains the essay "Educational Policies and Contents in Developing Countries" (Jacques Hallak). The second section, Open File: Education in Asia, contains the following essays: "Some Current Issues, Concerns and Prospects" (Victor Ordonez; Rupert Maclean); "South Asia and Basic Education: Changing UNICEF's Strategic Perspectives on Educational Development and Partnerships" (Jim Irvine); "Education for Gender Equity: The Lok Jumbish Experience" (Anil Bordia); "Financing Higher Education: Patterns, Trends and Options" (Mark Bray); "Schools That Create Real Roles of Value for Young People" (Roger Holdsworth); and "Educational Priorities and Challenges in the Context of Globalization" (Kamal Malhotra). The third section, Trends/Cases, contains the essay "Higher Education, the Social Sciences and National Development in Nigeria" (Geoffrey I. Nwaka). The last section, Profiles of Famous Educators, contains the profile "Benjamin Bloom, 1913-99" (Elliot W. Eisner). (BT)