LOCAL schools will lead the nation to literacy - by order of the Government.

The borough has been set the country's highest target for reading standards among 11-year-olds. By the year 2002 90 per cent of that age group in the borough will have to achieve set reading targets.

Schools standards minister Stephen Byers - who last year addressed a major conference in Bury on extending school achievement - announced the targets for every Local Education Authority (LEA) in the country this week

The figure is higher than any other LEA in the North West, and comes on top of already impressive reading standards in the borough - Bury's figures are nearly ten per cent above the national average.

Councillor David Ryder, Bury's education committee chairman, said he welcomed the challenge - but said local schools needed more cash to achieve them.

"Setting a target of 90 per cent of 11-year-olds being able to read is probably the most significant socialist agenda for this century," said Coun Ryder.

"By making sure the majority of children can read at an early age, it gives them a genuine chance to make the most of the opportunities that education presents them."

Coun Ryder said the council was now in talks with the Government to ensure "essential" extra funding to protect education and other services in Bury. "On a shoestring we have produced educational standards, thanks to our schools which are the envy of many in the country," he said. "We receive less money per pupil than almost any similar authority in England and Wales, yet we still consistently score highly.

"If we were given what we say is a fair deal, who knows what could be done."

Coun Ryder said unpublished statistics for 1997 suggested Bury's figure was already well on the way, rising from 66 to 72 per cent of 11-year-olds achieving the target level.

"We have already achieved better than most authorities with less funding," he said.

Mr Byers singled out Bury as one of five authorities "well above the national average" which have been set a target of 90 per cent when he announced the targets at a conference in Bradford.

But added: "There is no room for complacency. We want no excuses for failure."

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