A lack of books means the Government's new literacy programme has begun below standard, claims Bermuda Union of Teachers general secretary Michael Charles.

Mr. Charles claimed teachers were having to photocopy books because there were not enough to go around in some primary schools.

The Government had trumpeted the Literacy Place scheme as a vital plank in their campaign to fight illiteracy, which some experts think could now affect one in six of the population.

But Mr. Charles said: "There's a lot of photocopying being done. There's not sufficient supporting textbooks.

"If you're doing so much photocopying and the machine breaks down, then what happens to your lesson? It has to be cancelled.'' Education Minister Milton Scott admitted the problem, but said new books had been ordered.

"Teachers have been using handouts but I think it's very important each student has his own workbook to keep a record of what they've done...'' Opposition Education Minister Tim Smith said: "...it looks like they've conceded they don't have all their ducks in a row.

"The Minister and his colleagues assured parents and students that literacy programmes were a priority. To hear now, three weeks after the school term has started, that the programme is unable to begin because certain supplies are not yet here is of serious concern.

"I think there's more bark than bite with this Minister. His previous assurances were worth nothing. And who suffers in the meantime? Our children do. It's a disgrace.'' Mr. Charles also said teachers had not been properly consulted on the new programme.

"If they had been, it would probably be done differently,'' he said.

"Teachers now have to teach literacy for a 90-minute period every day. But it begs the question what else suffers.'' He also said the 90-minute periods needed to be broken up into chunks as children had limited concentration spans.

Mr. Charles also called for more males to join the teaching profession.

He said: "There are very few male teachers and a lot of children don't have male role models at home.

Mr. Charles added: "At some primary schools if you have two men on staff, then that's a lot.'' Sen. Scott said a lack of male teachers was a worldwide problem which the Government were tackling by allowing graduates without teaching certificates to start teaching while they worked towards passing teaching exams.

Premier Jennifer Smith is to make a proclamation on the steps of City Hall in support of World Teachers Day on Tuesday.