Only seven out of 126 pupils at a Bermuda middle school have reached the required reading standard, it emerged yesterday.

Now Bermuda Union of Teachers president Anthony Wolffe has called for a mass campaign to stamp out illiteracy.

Mr. Wolffe refused to reveal which school he was talking about but said illiteracy was threatening the Island's future.

He said: "It's an extremely serious problem -- a state of emergency.'' "I'm challenging people to become involved in their child's education. Read to your child and let them read to you. Ask about their homework -- it's a parent's right to scrutinise.'' Mr. Wolffe added: "Get involved -- at church level, at club level. Lobby your MP.'' He called on churches to come together and back the campaign.

Referring to Buck Burrows and Larry Tacklyn he said: "The church came together to try to halt the hangings in 1977 but I can't remember a time since then when they have come together but the time is now.'' "Let's teach everyone to read.'' Mr. Wolffe was speaking at Bernard Park during yesterday's Labour Day celebrations.

He later told The Royal Gazette : "It used to be that you could drop out of school and still get a job but times have changed.

"A lot of people are ashamed to admit they can't read because they don't want their neighbour or mates to know. We need to get over this.'' Premier Jennifer Smith said her Government were already onto the problem.

She said: "We have started a programme to deal with this. The Education Minister released details of this in the Budget debate.

"We will start to see it working when the schools start again this month.'' PLP backbencher and educator Dale Butler said: "I know the Education minister is very aware of the problem.

"A system is being put into place over the next three years to ensure elementary schools students get a far better education than they are getting now.'' Mr. Butler said the problem had been ignored by the previous Government.

Concern over illiteracy He said: "I've been talking about this issue for the past 15 years and nobody wanted to listen.

"At every school I was a principal at I stressed the importance of reading.

"I'm very concerned that the problem will create long-term decline in the country.'' UBP MP Kim Young said: "We need to highlight the importance of reading. Often parents teach their children to read but stop as soon as they have learned.

"But it's important to keep reading to them, not just give them a book and hope they get on with it.'' Referring to adult illiteracy she said: "We need to get over this stigma of admitting that you can't read so that we can encourage people to do something about it.'' "There was a recent study of female hotel workers which showed that many of them had problems of comprehending what they read.

"They were intelligent but they had no chance of rising in their jobs.''