ABSTRACT
East Asia is widely recognized as one region that has experienced both rapid economic development and high educational attainment. The growing body of research on the region has, however, largely neglected the story of how East Asian countries achieved universal upper secondary education. This chapter lays out the key questions, previous research, and analytical frames utilized in this volume to conceptualize that history. It concludes with a brief overview of each of the chapters, inviting readers to focus on two key issues: the relationship between public and private institutions and the balance between academic and vocational provision.
