E/C.12/1/Add.25 page 5 C. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Covenant 33. The Committee considers that a major challenge facing the government in relation to the implementation of the Covenant concerns the challenges posed by the number of foreign workers in the territory. D. Principal subjects of concern 34. The Committee regrets that none of the provisions of the Covenant may be directly invoked in the courts. This situation is inconsistent with the approach adopted by the Committee in its General Comment 3. 35. The Committee is concerned at the inequalities between men and women, particularly with regard to equal wages for equal work. 36. The Committee notes the slow progress of the Joint Committee for the revision of the Civil Code, established in 1993 to do away with the anachronistic provisions embodying the inequalities between men and women. 37. The Committee expresses its concern at the fact that primary education is still not compulsory, and at the high rate of school drop-outs in Aruba. E. Suggestions and recommendations 38. The Committee recommends that a reassessment should be made of the extent to which the provisions of the Covenant might be given direct applicability in Aruba. 39. The Committee recommends that the government intensify its efforts to guarantee the effective implementation of equality between men and women, particularly with regard to equal wages for work of equal value. 40. The Committee recommends that the authorities abolish provisions in the country's legislation constituting any form of discrimination and that they promulgate the new Civil Code as soon as possible. 41. It also recommends that a plan of action be adopted urgently to move towards the provision of free compulsory primary education as required by article 14 of the Covenant. 42. The Committee urges the government to intensify its efforts to address the school drop-out problem. 43. In view of the extent to which Aruba's laws and regulations are outdated, the Committee recommends that Aruba bring its laws and regulations up to date in order to ensure full compliance with the Covenant. III. NETHERLANDS ANTILLES 44. The Committee further considered the second periodic report of the Netherlands Antilles (E/1990/6/Add.12) at its 13th to 17th meetings, and adopted the following concluding observations at the 28th meeting.