The criteria for economic planning influence the growth of the educational system, the rate of employ ment of the educated labor force, and the growth of the educated human resource base in developing coun tries. When the use of available human resources is not the major concern in planning, all these factors may display cyclical behavior during periods of moderate economic growth. In contrast, when the orientation in planning is toward maximum utilization of human resources, unemployment and educational growth are stabilized and the expansion of the educa ted human resource base of the country accelerates.