financial aid in question is a specific and clearcut form of social assistance. The State party recalls that in Sweden there exists a uniform public sector school system conceived to serve the entire population of the country and that, in principle, the duty to attend school prescribed by law is to be fulfilled within the framework on this public school system. The legislation here at issue is aimed at providing equal education for children all over the country and also reflects the political will to provide all children with an opportunity to attend the public sector education system. Accordingly, fulfilling the duty to attend school in schools other than those envisaged by the public sector must be seen as an exception to the general rule. In this context, the State party points out that there are relatively few private schools that qualify as a valid substitute to the compulsory part of the public sector school system. It is further submitted that the existing public school system has not disregarded the fact that people in Sweden might have different values in so far as education is concerned. In this connection, the State party quotes from a statement made in the context of the 1980 Teaching Plan for the compulsory basic school, “Aims and Directives”, where, inter alia, it is stressed that . . . Schools should be open to the presentation of different values and opinions and stress the importance of personal concern”. Moreover, it points out that the same objective is contemplated by the School Act of 1985, which, in Ch. 3, Sec. 2, provides that a school may, at the request of a custodian of a pupil under the duty to attend school, dispense such a pupil from the obligation to attend otherwise compulsory activities in the educational program of that school. These are but a few examples to demonstrate that the public sector school system in Sweden is intended and conceived to serve the needs of the whole population of Sweden ant that, therefore, it is not necessary to establish a parallel school system. regardless of the type of school chosen. Free textbooks are intended to relieve parents from their obligations under the Parents’ Code and to eliminate unjust distinctions between families. “SSA” is not intended to subsidize education, but to ease the family budget generally. Consequently, it is in this purely social context that discrimination has occurred. 6.1 Before considering any claims in a communication, the Human Rights Committee, must, in accordance with rule 87 of its rules of procedure, decide whether or not it is admissible under the Optional Protocol to the Covenant. 6.2 The Committee ascertained, as required under article 5, paragraph 2(a), of the Optional Protocol, that the same matter was not being examined under another procedure of international investigation or settlement. The Committee noted that the State party did not contest the admissibility of the communication with respect to article 5, paragraph 2(b), of the Optional Protocol. The Committee therefore concluded that, on the basis of the information before it, the requirements of article 5, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol, concerning prior exhaustion of domestic remedies, had been met. 6.3 With regard to the State party’s submission that the “lack of merit” in the author’s argumentation should be considered as sufficient to declare the communication inadmissible pursuant to article 3 of the Optional Protocol, the Committee recalled that article 3 provides that communications shall be declared inadmissible if they: (a) are anonymous, (b) constitute an abuse of the right of submission, or (c) are incompatible with the provisions of the Covenant. It observed that the authors had made a reasonable effort to substantiate their allegations, for purposes of admissibility, and that they had invoked a specific provision of the Covenant. Accordingly, the Committee decided that the issues before it should be examined on the merits. 8.2 The State party further argues that the compulsory part of the public sector school system remains always open to all children who are subject to the duty to attend school and that parents who have chosen to have their children fulfill this duty in alternative schools retain the right to request that their children be integrated within the public sector school system. This stems from the aim of the legislator that the duty to attend school should in principle be fulfilled within the framework of the public sector school system. Accordingly, it is contended that it cannot be reasonably expected that a 7. On 30 March 1989 the Human Rights Committee therefore decided that the communications were admissible. 8.1 In its submissions under article 4, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol, dated 12 October 1989, the State party indicates that it does not approve the use by counsel of the term “School Social Aid” (SSA) since the term might convey a wrong impression that the 87