THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA’S COMBINED REPORT ON THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN & PEOPLES’ RIGHTS & INITIAL REPORT ON THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA there are regional and gender disparities in access to education, in general and senior secondary school education, in particular, which is the transiting, level to tertiary and higher education. Equity is also related to affordability. In a country where a significant number live under the poverty-datum line of less than $1.25 a day, the issue of affording tertiary and higher education becomes more pronounced. It should be noted that the majority of Gambians are farmers, whose incomes are inadequate to support their children at the tertiary and higher education level. The relatively high fees for tertiary and higher education favour the continued admission of children from the highest-income quintiles and, consequently, reinforce the inequalities in society. The relationship between TVET institutions and higher education institutions requires strengthening in order to create better linkages between occupational courses and other academic disciplines and to further enable students to pursue not only viable careers but also advanced educational goals. Given the demographic scenarios in The Gambia, the post-secondary population in 2003 was 222,831; this consisted of the age group between 19 and 25. If projected, this population should increase to 290,744 in 2012, 317,704 in 2015 and 368,306 in 2020. In 2012, the number of students in the final year of secondary education was 40, 533 (19, 227 of which were female), representing a participation rate of 36.2%. Overall, 30.3% completed the secondary school cycle, but this does not necessarily translate to university entrance. The gender and development course run by the Management Development Institute (MDI) contributes to the availability of a core of people with knowledge and skills in gender mainstreaming thus facilitating gender analysis and gender monitoring in the various sectors. The University of The Gambia (UTG) has introduced gender studies as a compulsory subject. The UTG has contributed in no small measure to the participation of girls at the higher levels of education. In 2008, girls’ enrolment constituted 21.58% of the total as compared to 10% in 1999. To give girls and young women a fair chance to participate in education at the tertiary level, programmes such as the access programme run by the University of The Gambia, the RIFT (Remedial Instruction for Female Teachers by The Gambia College and the extra mural classes by The Gambia Teachers Union (GTU). Additionally, with regards to tackling adverse traditional values, The Government of The Gambia has also taken steps in addressing negative cultural beliefs and practices that affect the rights of women and girls. 85