CRC/C/15/Add.204 page 10 7. Education, leisure and cultural activities 51. The Committee is encouraged by the State party’s efforts to increase enrolment rates in basic education, reduce illiteracy, promote cultural and recreational activities and provide education in the native language of all nine ethnic groups. However, it is concerned that enrolment and literacy levels are still low, particularly in secondary and pre-primary education, and that there is a significant disparity between the number of boys and girls in school. It also notes with concern that there are few trained teachers and limited opportunities for teachers to upgrade their skills. 52. The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Continue to strengthen measures aimed at increasing enrolment rates in primary and basic education, in particular for girls; (b) (c) activities; Undertake additional efforts to increase the budget for education; Continue its activities in the area of cultural and recreational (d) Expand public provision of early childhood education, in particular in rural areas, and increase the number of trained pre-school teachers, and raise awareness amongst parents about the value of early childhood education; (e) Prioritize and continue to strengthen and expand efforts at teacher training and expand recruitment of qualified teachers, in particular women and persons from all ethnic groups for education in mother-tongue programmes; (f) Include human rights education as part of the curriculum. 8. Special protection measures Children affected by armed conflict, including refugee and displaced children 53. While noting with appreciation the State party’s extensive experience in providing care and protection to vulnerable children separated from their families through national and field-level structures, as well as the Eritrean Refugees and Relief Commission, the Committee is concerned that there are still a significant number of children suffering from the effects of armed conflict, in particular returnees, internally displaced children, landmine victims and children who were separated from their parents following expulsions of Eritreans from Ethiopia during the border war (1998-2001). 54. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to strengthen programmes to provide assistance and support to children affected by armed conflict,