One in 10 children still leave primary school with significant literacy problems, a situation which has not improved in almost 20 years, according to a major Government survey to be released today.
The survey, from the Department of Education and Science, is expected to say the disappointing figures have emerged despite a major investment programme.
The Minister for Education and Science, Mr Martin, is expected to admit the figures are particularly disappointing because class sizes are considerably smaller and more remedial teachers are available to help pupils than in the early 1980s.
However, it is expected Mr Martin will emphasise that this is not just a school-based problem and parents must help their children to develop their reading skills.
The Minister is expected to stress that the matter will not be addressed by the Government simply investing more money in the area, and that parents should try to have books in the house and read with their children as much as possible.
The survey of primary pupils, by four staff from the Educational Research Centre, follows a 1997 OECD report which showed that up to a quarter of the adult population had "limited literacy skills".
Mr Martin is expected to announce details of a £2.5 million national reading campaign aimed at improving literacy standards.
This campaign will stress the importance of books and making them available to children through school libraries. It will try to eliminate weaknesses in the remedial service at schools and look at ways in which the new primary curriculum can help teachers to raise literacy standards.
Funding will also be provided for schools to purchase literacy testing instruments. A co-ordinator for the whole campaign, Ms Bernadette McHugh, is understood to have been appointed.
The survey is expected to say that boys in general achieved lower levels of literacy than girls.