Executive summary were about 72 per cent in 2006. Enrolment for girls is generally higher than for boys at all levels, except at the primary level, where gender parity has been reached. The government introduced free primary education (FPE) in 1999, and started implementing the policy in 2000 by gradually abolishing school fees. More than one million textbooks and other teaching materials were supplied free of charge to schools. The annual budgetary allocations for education were also progressively raised, from 18 per cent in 2003/2004 to 26 per cent in 2007/2008. To provide incentives for increased enrolment, primary school children were provided with free meals. Lesotho is heading towards making primary education compulsory. 4.50 There has been progress in the provision of drinking water. About 74 per cent of the population has access to safe water through a variety of water supply methods, including standpoints. Sanitation is lagging behind, especially among poorer communities. The country also has a low level of access to energy, particularly electricity, although it is endowed with both renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. The ability of the country to meet its electricity supply requirements has been declining and Lesotho is currently making good its shortfalls with electricity from Mozambique and South Africa. A National Electrification Programme, covering the next 15 years, is expected to result in a substantial increase in electricity supply. Another boost to the infrastructure of the country is the development of the Information and Communication Strategy. The new information and communication technology (ICT) policy is expected to provide a framework for stimulating the development of advanced infrastructure in order to help create a better enabling environment for the private sector and FDI. 4.51 Efforts made to attain gender equality are highly remarkable in Lesotho. The enactment of the Land Act (1979) has enabled women and allowed them to have equitable access to land. Generally, there is a strong political will to promote gender equality in Lesotho. The government must be credited with the appointment of nine females in the Cabinet, which equates to a 38 per cent representation. Women are also well represented in district and local councils. Women actually made up about 58 per cent of the councillors elected to local councils in 2005. 4.52 Participation of stakeholders in the development process, while strongly emphasised by the government, and advocated widely by the communities and NGOs, needs to be made a reality. Stakeholders are vital organs of decision making and should be empowered to be effective instruments of programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The consultation process is generally perceived as top-down. A more informed and effective communication strategy is critically needed to address this issue. 4.53 The APR Panel urges the finalisation and implementation of the draft growth strategy, which has the potential to address problems relating to the lack of diversification, to address agricultural productivity and to address the promotion of socioeconomic development in general. Other key recommendations contained in the report include the need to: enhance human resource capacity; improve public sector accountability with a view to improving service delivery; improve enrolment in education, especially among boys; increase access to antiretroviral treatment; improve access to electricity and other basic needs; and deepen broad-based participation in the development process. 13