Almost two-thirds of young men and more than half of young women have inadequate literacy skills to excel in life, according to a survey of Bermudians aged 16 to 25.

The study found that 64 percent of males and 56 percent of females in that age group on the Island lacked the skills to fully function in a knowledge-based society and were likely to struggle when learning new tasks.

The individuals were considered “at risk” of not achieving their goals, developing their knowledge or fulfilling their potential.

The findings were released by the Department of Statistics just hours before Education Minister Randy Horton announced a revamped literacy programme for public schools. The new Literacy Collaborative initiative will see ongoing student assessments and schools assigned “literacy experts”.

Mike Charles, general secretary of Bermuda Union of Teachers, said the survey figures were “alarming and concerning” but that schools were working on the problem. “Hopefully we will see a betterment trend as we go along,” he said. “It is definitely something that we have to keep an eye on.”

The Government’s Chief Statistician Valerie Robinson James said the results did not mean young Bermudians were illiterate or not productive in society.

“Young Bermudians may possess a sufficient skill level to perform well in their chosen occupations at their current level, but may be hindered in their ability to achieve goals, develop their knowledge and reach their potential,” she said.

The literacy problem was identified when Bermuda took part in the international 2003 Adult Literacy and Life-Skills (ALL) Survey, along with five other countries.

High proportions of young Bermudian adults involved achieved literacy scores below an internationally-established adequate level, prompting a more in-depth study.

Participants took tests in four literacy domains - prose, document, numeracy and problem solving - and those who scored below the adequate mark of 275 points in one or more of the first three areas were classified as “at risk”. The fourth domain was not used to classify participants.

A sample question from the numeracy section showed an advert for a six-pack of Coca Cola with the price slashed from $2.25 to $1.80. Participants were asked the price per can during the sale and the percent of the discount.

Thirty six percent of males and 44 percent of females achieved scores above the adequate mark for prose, document and numeracy.

But 33 percent of males and 21 percent of women scored below the mark for all three domains; 13 percent of both sexes achieved below the mark for two domains and 18 percent of men and 22 percent of women got less than the mark in one domain.

The Department of Statistics report noted that the average scores for most young adults classified as “at risk” were only just below the adequate mark.

“It is important to note that individuals in the 16 to 25 age group are at an early stage of life, with many still preparing themselves to participate in the community,” it said. “As these individuals complete their education and firmly establish themselves in the workforce, improvements in overall literacy skills can be expected.”

The study found that young Bermudians were weakest with numbers. On average, men scored 274 for numeracy and women 266.

Education was found to play a part in literacy levels, with those who continued studying past secondary school attaining higher marks. Participants who had completed a vocational or technical education programme demonstrated literacy skills superior to those who hadn’t and those who went on to tertiary education did even better.

Reading was found to improve literacy, while extensive television viewing had a detrimental effect. Those with a computer at home achieved higher literacy scores than those who didn’t.

The report found that more young men fell short of the adequate score than women. Mr. Charles said that was not a surprise. “It’s a worry but it’s not only in Bermuda. It’s almost worldwide. It will take more than a quick answer. One of the reasons could be our school system - you look at it and how many of our teachers are men?”

The report concluded: “One should not be hasty in defining young adults as an ‘at risk’ group as they may well possess an adequate skill level to perform well in their chosen professions at the current level.

“Young adults aged 16 to 25 are at a developmental stage in life, leaving a high potential for improvements in literacy.”

Results from the same survey released last April placed Bermuda third overall for literacy out of six developed nations - but found that a third of black males aged 16 to 30 here were “at risk”.

Mr. Horton said yesterday: “The data on the literacy levels of our young people will be useful to us as we proceed with our efforts to raise student achievement in the public education system.”

64% of young men ‘at risk’