EDUCATION IS THE KEY FOR EFFECTING THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES THAT WOULD NARROW THE GAP BETWEEN DEVELOPED NATIONS AND THE LESS DEVELOPED ONES IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRESS. THE NEW CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT REGARDS AS CRITICAL NOT THE GOALS OF DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSICAL CONDITIONS, BUT RATHER THE NURTURING OF HUMAN POTENTIAL. IN FACT, REAL DEVELOPMENT COULD NOT OCCUR UNLESS EDUCATION IS ATTENTIVE TO THE BASIC LEARNING NEEDS OF THE HUMAN PERSON: CHILD, YOUTH AND ADULT. revista interamericana de desarrollo educativo.