Newspaper Education makes headway in rural schools

July 10, 2014 12:25 pm | Updated 12:26 pm IST - TIRUCHI:

A student reading newspaper at the Government High School at Kavalkaranpatty in Karur District. Photo: B.Velankanni Raj

A student reading newspaper at the Government High School at Kavalkaranpatty in Karur District. Photo: B.Velankanni Raj

Newspaper Education, which has almost become a part of social science education in many of the leading urban schools, is slowly making headway in rural areas thanks to the government’s initiative to make available most of the leading newspapers in middle, high, and higher secondary schools.

For M.Sulochana (15), a class 10 student of the Government High School at Kavalkaranpatty, a remote village in Karur district, each day at school starts with reading vernacular and English newspapers bought with funds provided under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). She is one of the many enthusiastic students who come to school early in the morning to read newspapers. Besides this, she takes down notes of important news items to read them at the daily assembly or prayer session. “I have developed the habit of reading newspapers in the school. I can say with confidence that I am well-informed on day-to-day affairs,” Sulochana said.

Teachers of the school, who have been instructed by authorities to inculcate newspaper reading habit in students, , encourage students to read them during leisure or lunch hours. The newspapers also come up for reference or discussion during history or social science classes.

K.Ganesan, Head Master-In-Charge of the Government High School in Kavalkaranpatty, said that at least 8 to 10 per cent of students, who didn’t have access to newspapers in their homes, have taken to reading newspapers enthusiastically. R.Thiruvalarselvi, Chief Educational Officer, Karur district, told The Hindu that newspapers have been made available in all 180 high and higher secondary schools in the district. Though there was no assigned period for reading newspapers, the school teachers were asked to find at least half an hour for newspaper reading. Discussion on important and relevant news items could also be undertaken at appropriate periods. Besides developing communication skills, the habit would help students hone their critical thinking skills, he said.

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