3. Education The education indications are as bleak as those of other areas. In terms of access, equity and quality of the primary cycle, there are major concerns. In 2005, there was a four point increase in access to primary education compared to 2004, with a gross admission rate of 72,8 % compared to 69% in 2004. Despite this relative improvement not all children of primary school going age do have access. The gross enrolment rate increased from 89% to 2004 to 91,4% in 2005 ; this figure also includes over-aged and underaged children. NB. This figure masks major imbalances within Regions and Districts, but also among children of minorities (Indigenous populations), the disabled and orphans with a negligible percentage access to primary education. The main problem is one of gender equity. Girls represent 48% as opposed to boys, 52% with a parity index of 0.95 girls to boys. These differences are due to the low enrolment of rural girls in school and early drop out. 4. On the economic plane Apart from the macro-economic factors, these studies show that poverty is a reality and is well-entrenched in Congo. 50.1% of the population is living under the poverty line on 30.925 francs CFA in Brazzaville, per person and per month. The drinking water situation in Congo remains critical because over half the population does not have access to this resource. According to the Social Report on Congo, (DGPD. December, 2005) the rate of access is 40% in the urban areas and 14 in the rural areas. There is daily load shedding of electricity leaving whole neighbourhoods in darkness for hours on end. However, laudable efforts have been made to improve the conditions of access to electricity for all Congolese as attested to by on-going projects such as the construction of the Imboulou barrage and the thermal barrage in Mpila. 31