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Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.UNESCO is a major collector and disseminator of statistical data on education and related subjects. Its statistical activities are aimed at providing relevant, reliable and current information for development and policy-making purposes, both at the national and international levels, and the production of reliable statistical indicators for education. These indicators cover four main areas: educational population; access and participation; the efficiency and effectiveness of education; human and financial resources. The <i>UNESCO Education Database</i> covers a wide range of these areas, at four main educational levels: pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary, in accordance with the <i>International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)</i> system. This system provides standard definitions for each of the four levels of education examined. UNESCO collects and collates education data according to these definitions from approximately 200 countries, and compiles them into the <i>Education Database</i> time series, which is published annually.Main Topics:`Pre-primary' education is defined by UNESCO as `the initial stages of organised instruction', and precedes the first <i>ISCED</i> level of education (<i>ISCED</i> = <i>International Standard Classification of Education</i>). Pre-primary educational programmes do not include playgroups, day nurseries, creches, or child-care centres in this case. The age of entry to this level varies in different countries, and in areas within some countries. The upper age limit is usually dependent on the age of entry into primary education (the first <i>ISCED</i> level of education). Both public and private sector pre-primary education are covered, and topics include numbers of pupils, institutions, and teachers, definable by sector and gender.