CRC/C/TLS/CO/1 page 14 8. Education, leisure and cultural activities (arts 28, 29 and 31) Education, including vocational training and guidance 64. The Committee acknowledges that the State party inherited a poor educational infrastructure and notes with appreciation that the emergency response following the events of 1999 has resulted in higher enrolment rates, including among children living in poverty, children in rural areas, and a higher number of teachers in primary schools. The Committee commends the 100 Friendly Schools project initiated by the State party in collaboration with UNICEF. The Committee is concerned, however, that a large number of children in the State party in the age range of 6-11 years are still not enrolled in school, that less than 50 per cent of children reach grade 6, and that access to schools remains problematic in some rural areas. The Committee is also concerned about the inadequate level of teacher training, the scarcity of the most basic learning materials, as acknowledged by the State party, and the possible impact that the transition to the Portuguese language in schools may have on the level of comprehension. 65. In the light of article 28 of the Convention, Committee recommends that the State party allocate adequate financial, human and technical resources in order to: (a) Expedite the enactment of the proposed laws which are to form the legal foundation of the education sector; (b) Ensure that relevant legislation includes provisions to make nine years of primary education compulsory, in accordance with article 59 of the Constitution, and that all children have equal access to free primary education without any financial obstacles; (c) Continue to take progressive measures to further increase enrolment and retention rates, including through the establishment of primary schools in every suco (village), as envisaged in the education policy framework, and through facilitating access for children living in remote areas through appropriate means of transport and through maintaining and improving transport infrastructure as necessary; (d) Continue to pay due attention to issues of comprehension during the transition of the multilingual school system to the Portuguese language; (e) Devise measures to effectively recruit and/or train appropriately qualified teachers for primary and secondary schools; (f) Take measures to address gender biases and stereotypes in order to improve girls’ participation in education after the primary level; (g) Strengthen and expand the school feeding programmes, and implement the school grants programme; (h) Expand care and education facilities for children in the early years to stimulate their development and prepare them for school;