This paper examines ways to educate the 160 million children denied access to primary schools and the 960 million adults throughout the world still illiterate in 1990. It focuses on three especially marginalized groups: (1) girls and women, who make up the majority of unschooled and illiterate children and adults; (2) the children of ethnic minorities, whose linguistic and cultural needs are often neglected by national school systems; and (3) the children of nomadic groups, especially in Africa, who have special educational needs due to their non-sedentary way of life. A two-pronged strategy for achieving "Schooling for All" in Africa and other regions by the year 2000 is proposed, which: (1) includes plans for a comprehensive evaluation of educational needs and a revitalization of existing primary schools, and (2) calls for cost-sharing among governments, the communities, the private sector, and international donors. The paper emphasizes the need for innovation in educational strategies, suggesting several replacements for the classroom-based approach designed to service pre-industrial European society. It concludes by looking ahead to the future educational needs of the world's children. (MDM)