and treatment. The Committee also requests that the State party provide statistical data on health related matters , disaggregated by sex and age, in its next periodic report. 23.The Committee is concerned about the inaccuracy of data relating to the prevalence HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections. In particular, the Committee is concerned about the existence of a State controlled quota system, for instance with regard to reporting on maternal and infant mortality rates, and of pressure exercised on health workers to meet such quotas. The Committee urges the State party to review the collection of statistical information with regard to health issues and to remove all forms of pressure on health care workers to meet real or perceived quotas in the delivery of health services. In addition, the Committee requests the State party to intensify its efforts with a view to further reducing its maternal, child and infant mortality rates, including through educational programmes on sexual and reproductive health and by focusing on prevention and treatment. The Committee also suggests that the State party develop and sustain a national HIV/AIDS policy focusing on stigma reduction, treatment and support, as well as prevention, and suggests that the State party avail itself of tec hnical assistance from relevan t international organizations such as the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in this regard. 24.The Committee is also concerned about widespread hospital closures, in 2004, outside of the capital as well as about the dismissal of thousands of health-care workers in connection with a reform of the health-care sector. The Committee is also concerned about reports that all medical institutions in Turkmenistan have been made reliant on self-financing resulting in a lack of professional health-care workers and basic medical supplies in hospitals. The Committee requests the State party to make sure that a sufficient number of hospitals ou tside of the capital remain in operation. The Com mittee also urges the State party to allocate sufficient resources for the health sector, and in particular, to ensure that hospitals have the necessary supplies and emergency medicines at their disposal. The Committee furthermore recommends that the State party avail itself of the possibility of receiving technic al assistance from, inter alia UNICEF, WHO, UNODC, UNFPA and UNDP. 25.The Committee is concerned about the acute lack of qualified teaching personnel and of appropriate teaching materials creating obstacles for secondary school graduates wishing to enter higher educational establishments in Turkmenistan and abroad. The Committee is furthermore concerned with the reported widespread practice of charging high unofficial fees for access to higher educational institutions. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to improve the quality of education, including by improving school curricula with a view to meeting international standards of education, by improving school facilities, textbooks and other supplies, and by investing in the training of teachers. The Committee also recommends that the State party eliminate the practice of collecting unofficial fees for access to higher educational institutions. 26.The Committee is concerned that, in spite of specific legislative provisions in this regard, the possibilities for ethnic minorities, notably Kazakh, Uzbek, Armenian and Russian, to study in their mother tongue are limited. The Committee is also concerned that a number of Turkmen students enrolled in universities abroad have been prevented from leaving the country to pursue their studies. The Committee recom mends that the State party take the necessary action to facilitate access to Kazakh, Uzbek, Armenian and Russian language classes and schools for children of ethnic minorities. The Committee also recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to ensure that Turkmen students enrolled at universities abroad are allowed to leave the country and pursue their studies . 27.The Committee is concerned about the low percentage of female students in higher education and about strong gender stereotypes in the choice of students’ field of study. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary measures, including temporary special measures , to promote an increase of the number of women in higher education and provide incentives for young women and men to en ter the field of study of their choice. 28.The Committee is concerned that national and ethnic minorities as well as persons belonging to those minorities face serious impediments with regard to the right to enjoy their culture. The Committee is also concerned that sources of information – including the media – are subject to Government control and do not allow for diversity. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary measures to protect cultural diversity, promote awareness of the cultural heritage of national and ethnic minorities, and ensure favourable conditions for members of those minorities to preserve, develop, express and disseminate their identity, history, culture, l anguage, traditions and customs in line with the Committee’s general comment No. 21 (2009) on the right of everyone to take part in cultural life. 29.The Committee regrets that access to various sources of culture is very limited and is also concerned about reports of censorship of electronic communication and blocking of Internet sites. The Committee urges the State party to ensure free access to divers sources of information and to cease the practice of censorship of electronic communication and blocking of Internet sites thereby making the Internet available to all that desire it. 30.The Committee is concerned that members some religious groups do not fully enjoy the right to cultural expression in the field of religion and that some religious confessions remain unregistered on account of undue registration criteria. The Committee is also concerned about the ban on worship in private homes and on the public wearing of religious garb, except by religious leaders, as contained in the 2003 Religion Law.