de Financement de la Formation Professionnelle et Technique, FFFPT ), which manages the funds collected by the training levy; National Office for Vocational Training (Office National de Formation Professionnelle, ONFP), which is a training provider as well as other functions. Other institutional bodies involved in the system: The African Network of Vocational Training Funds and Institutions (RAFPRO) is a network of national funding institutions; Operational Repertoire for Occupation and Employment (Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et Emplois, ROAME) is a tool to enhance the quality of the TVET system. Challenges facing Senegalese Education In 1992 approximately 54 000 Senegalese youths were suspected to be apprentices in the workforce rather than in school. Although the legal age for these apprenticeships is supposed to be 15 it is believed that there are much younger children involved in the workforce. Children who live in rural parts of the country are at a disadvantage and usually work in agriculture instead of attending school. There is a focus on increasing enrolment among Senegalese girls, although in the past few years enrolment rates have elevated. The 'Case des Tout-Petits' experience The health and social status of children in Senegal is unfavourable and despite serious efforts the protection of children remains of great concern. In reaction to this situation, Senegalese national authorities now consider early childhood care a priority for development. Since 2002, the ‘Case des Tout-Petits’, a new model for the development of children in their early years, has coexisted alongside the various structures of formal, non-formal and informal pre-school education. While there is room for improvement, the programme is a valuable community-based experience grounded in local cultural traditions. The ‘Case des Tout-Petits’ is a community structure for the support of children aged from 0 to 6. The case, or traditional house, connotes a lifestyle, a way of being and thinking, and symbolizes a commitment to African values. The case as a living, socialized, educational place par excellence is considered the starting point for the child's learning in life. These ‘cases’ were primarily designed for disadvantaged and rural milieus to guarantee access to adequate and integrated services. They are run by the people themselves and represent some 20% of Senegal's early childhood structures. Architecturally, the ‘Case des Tout-Petits’ is a hexagonal structure comprising two rooms, one for the children's educational activities and the other for parental education. These structures develop a comprehensive and holistic approach to childhood