This paper by Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee presents a comprehensive dataset on educational attainment for 129 countries over five-year periods from 1960 to 1985. The dataset is constructed using census and survey information, filling over 40% of the cells with census/survey data and school enrollment figures in a perpetual-inventory framework for the remainder. The data cover four levels of educational attainment: no schooling, primary, secondary, and higher, for both male and female adults aged 25 and over. The authors also provide a breakdown into incomplete and complete attainment at the three levels of schooling. They account for cross-country variations in the durations of schooling to provide figures on total years of attainment. The paper discusses the limitations of previous empirical studies on human capital, such as those using school enrollment ratios and adult literacy rates, and highlights the advantages of their dataset. The authors compare their estimates with those from alternative measures and provide insights into the educational attainment of different country groups, including developing countries, OECD countries, and centrally planned economies. They also examine the educational attainment of the female population.This paper by Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee presents a comprehensive dataset on educational attainment for 129 countries over five-year periods from 1960 to 1985. The dataset is constructed using census and survey information, filling over 40% of the cells with census/survey data and school enrollment figures in a perpetual-inventory framework for the remainder. The data cover four levels of educational attainment: no schooling, primary, secondary, and higher, for both male and female adults aged 25 and over. The authors also provide a breakdown into incomplete and complete attainment at the three levels of schooling. They account for cross-country variations in the durations of schooling to provide figures on total years of attainment. The paper discusses the limitations of previous empirical studies on human capital, such as those using school enrollment ratios and adult literacy rates, and highlights the advantages of their dataset. The authors compare their estimates with those from alternative measures and provide insights into the educational attainment of different country groups, including developing countries, OECD countries, and centrally planned economies. They also examine the educational attainment of the female population.