Primary school teachers will now be given literacy training as part of their staff development, Education Minister Milton Scott has announced.

Government is formulating a literacy team which will provide training and support for schools to implement the Island's literacy programme.

The team will spend time this summer in the United Kingdom studying a literacy programme which has been developed for English primary schools.

Senator Scott said teachers are required to do staff development, but from September this will include training to help them implement the literacy programme.

He revealed the initiative on Saturday during a meeting with the National Parent Teacher Association.

He said: "This is a major new initiative. We have the benefit of learning from the successes and mistakes of the literacy strategy in the UK in designing a training programme for our schools.

"The Government has already provided all teachers with Literacy Place teaching materials.

"By the end of this training programme, teachers will have been trained in the skills they need to deliver the Literacy Place in the most effective way.'' Government has also developed a strategy for countering problems in middle schools, which were highlighted in a recent study by education experts from the United States.

The study identified the need to raise teacher expectations; improve the curriculum; teach reading skills; provide up-to-date technology; and to involve the community.

"We have put together a comprehensive plan that sets out detailed strategies for action in each of the areas identified in the report,'' said Sen. Scott.

"We will be asking for the active support of parents and the community as a whole when we start to implement the plan in the next school year.

"I believe that by working together and by re-committing to the goals and philosophy of the middle school system, we can make the changes that are needed.

"As the report says: `Can Bermuda achieve a world-class system of middle schools? The answer is a resounding `yes'''.

Sen. Scott also gave a progress report to parents on plans to reduce class sizes, saying Government had met its targets in Primary One and Two; the improvement programme for under-achieving primary schools; training in mathematics; development of a primary curriculum piloted next year; and increasing access to information technology.