Education for children and the youth 382. Education, despite the legislative provisions and programmes in place to make it free and compulsory, is not free. While, in principle, ‘free education’ is offered in public schools, the quality of such education is substandard. Many schools are ill-equipped and lack qualified teachers. In addition, most public schools impose fees each term for uniforms, books and other materials. Some teachers charge fees for after-school tuition. Unfortunately, this type of education cannot be afforded by poor parents. The rich and affluent parents take their children to private schools and abroad for a better education. As a result, poor children trained in public schools are semieducated and usually get lower grades than those trained in private schools. Poverty and the inability of poor parents to pay these fees remain a big challenge to realising the universal right to primary education. 383. The opportunity cost of sending children to school is very high, especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged families. Furthermore, some families appear to have a poor understanding of the value of education. Related to this are also the significant gender inequalities that result in lower enrolment and higher dropout rates for females. Cultural and traditional practices impact negatively on female enrolments at educational institutions. 384. Child labour is another extensive practice in the rural areas, and there is little evidence that the legislation in place to protect children from illegal practices is being enforced. Female children often become domestic workers, and they have little protection in terms of their working conditions and from sexual abuse or harassment. Participation in political and socioeconomic affairs 130 385. Nigeria has various institutions which assist in domesticating the CRC. They include: the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development; the Ministry of Information and National Orientation (with its Child Rights Information Bureau); the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Education; and other related government agencies geared towards the development and survival of the child. The National Assembly passed the Compulsory, Free, Universal Basic Education Act, and the government of Nigeria is pursuing the World Programme of Action for Youths adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1995, in addition to having developed a National Youth Development Policy, which was published in 2001. These efforts are geared towards ensuring that Nigerian society cares adequately for its children and young persons by fully protecting their rights and by committing to their all-round development based on a well-developed child and youth policy. 386. Nigeria established a Children’s Parliament under the supervision of the federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development. The Children’s Parliament provides sustainable and meaningful opportunities for children aged between 9 and 18 years to engage in local, national and international democratic processes. It also enables children from all backgrounds and of all levels of ability to work together to share experiences that will one