and rehabilitation of more than 2,100 classrooms and 1,200 teachers’ houses were built. Books and Desks 439. Between 1991 and 1998, a total of 14.5 million textbooks, supplementary readers and teachers’ guides for Grades 1 – 7 were procured and distributed. In spite of these efforts, very few schools have achieved a book to pupil ratio of 1:2. 440. The syllabi in core subjects were revised, reproduced and distributed, and teachers were oriented to their use. Over 407,000 library books were procured and distributed in 2004. Measures for free and compulsory basic education 441. The State party has done away with user charges for basic education in Government schools. However, parents or guardians incur costs for uniforms, transportation, and PTA fees. Education is not compulsory but once a child is enrolled in a school, it is the duty of every parent or guardian to ensure the child’s regular attendance, which is stated in the Compulsory Attendance Regulation, Statutory Instrument No. 118 of 1970. The regulations provide for the appointment of public officers as attendance officers, whose duty is to ensure compliance with the regulations. However, many children who drop out of school are not followed up. 167