In 1993, an anti-illiteracy programme was elaborated to make it easier for rural communities to access information and enhance the effectiveness of literacy actions. The CRC, which recognizes this right through its Articles 28 and 29, was also ratified. a2. Limitations Despite the ratification of international conventions and implementation of measures, the set goals are still a long way off. In Niger, 2 out of 3 children of school-going age do not attend school, with girls being more numerous. Furthermore, 4 out of 5 youths and adults can neither read nor write. Niger‟s education system is characterized by its low performance as it is tailored neither to the local context nor to set objectives. Its enrolment rate is one of the lowest in the subregion. The language of instruction is also a real handicap, especially for the first three years. In rural areas, school is perceived as a factor of acculturation. According to the 2004-2005 annual statistical directory of the Ministry of Basic Education and Illiteracy (MEB/A), Niamey has the highest number of preschool establishments with 44% of enrolments. On the other hand, enrolments in Diffa stand at 1%, while Dosso, Tahoua and Maradi each having 10%. Urban areas continue to dominate with 83% compared to rural areas. In 2003, Government and private schools of basic cycle 1 had only 857,592 pupils out of a population of 1,890,165 children of school-going age. According to MEB/A‟s 2001/2002 annual statistic directory, the enrolment rate in basic cycle 2 is 3.31% while the drop-out rate is 41.99%. The difficulties are virtually the same for illiteracy. The illiteracy rate is 83.5%, according to MPHS 2003. The population is not sufficiently sensitized on the usefulness of school. Furthermore, as parents are extremely poor, they prefer that their children look for jobs. Other factors include the phasing out of the State in the education sector characterized by a drop in the number of textbooks and supplies provided to Government schools; the suppression of boarding facilities and canteens; parents‟ contribution to the footing of schooling bills and; insufficient budgetary resources granted by the State. Furthermore, the unemployment rate among young graduates is high, exacerbated by the recruitments freeze in the public service. The living and hygienic conditions in schools are precarious. In the first cycle of basic education, 11.2% of schools are fenced and 1,026 have latrines. Further, 32.4% of classes are thatched. In 2004-2005, 445% of kindergartens had neither latrines nor water points. The situation is more preoccupying at Tillaberi, Dosso and Tahoua where an average of 33 children share one latrine. 32