Literacy rates in the Bermuda education system are in the "recovery" phase, Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield told the House of Assembly on Friday.

She spoke after the Opposition raised concerns about students going up levels, even if their grades were not good enough.

She said it was wrong to give the impression that it was all bad news.

She said: "Young primary students are reading above their grade level."

Ms Butterfield said there were summer camps for children to catch up.

"They are learning, that is why parents send them there."

Children falling through the cracks were being caught she said.

Prisoners were also given the benefit of reading recovery programmes said Ms Butterfield.

"Some programmes are not mandatory. We'll be committing a crime trying to beat them into the classrooms."

On the schools systems, she said: "We are trying very hard to make sure every child is a winner. Some will fall behind but there's ways and means for them to pick up where they left off."

Reading programmes were being tailored for individual needs, said Ms Butterfield.

"Not everyone is academic. Sometimes we have to teach them through visual aids displaying colour codes."

And she said the Progressive Labour Party Government could not be blamed for 30-year-olds who could not read.

Government backbencher and former teacher Dean Foggo said there were teachers throughout the system who stayed behind free of charge after school to help slow learners catch up.

Terra Nova results in the last two years had improved because of the efforts of teachers said Mr. Foggo.

"I agree with Neletha Butterfield. We are in the recovery stage."

Failure didn't have to be total. He said he had failed his last year at Berkeley and first two years at college but caught up and now has a BA degree, a Masters degree and a certificate in computers.