At the end of the 1980s signs appear ed on the political horizon giving hope that peace was possible and near . In this new context, the education sector relaunched the challenge of universal primary education begun in 1983 with the introduction of the SNE. In this context, a model was designed on the basis of which several scenarios were projected for the evolution of pupil numbers in primary and secondary education. Micro-planning and the school map were introduced into the planning of education in order to estimate with greater rigour local needs for the development of education.

The gross admission rate declined from 1981 to 1992, reaching its lowest point, of 60%, in 1991/92. Since then the trend for the gross admission rate has been upwards, but by 1999 it had not yet regained the levels of 1981, as shown in graph 3.7.

The number of pupils enrolled stagnated during the war. With the General Peace Agreement, signed in Rome in 1992, the country found political stability again. The trend for the number of pupils enrolled, and the rate of new admissions, became positive.