THE IMPORTANCE OF NEWSPAPERS IN THE EDUCATION OF THE YOUTH

A newspaper may be described as a document which is printed and published regularly and consists of news
reports, articles, photographs and advertisements which are on large sheets of paper folded together but not
permanently joined. Newspapers may be published daily, weekly or every fortnight. Examples of newspapers are
the DAILY GRAGHIC in Ghana and the WASHINGTON POST in the United States of America. Newspapers are
very important in the lives of many people in the world. As a section of the Press, newspapers have the main aims of
informing, educating and entertaining the public.

We the students of West Africa Senior High School at Adenta, a suburb of Accra, the capital city of Ghana,
working on Learning Circle Project have found out from our research that newspapers are very important in not
only educating the youth but also help in informing and entertaining them in our country, Ghana as well as in other
parts of the world.

Newspapers in Education:

Articles from newspapers give facts about current affairs which may not be found in textbooks in their
schools.
Students learn new or unfamiliar words, expressions and spelling which add up to their vocabulary.
Newspapers provide topics that students may use in their conversations with their friends.
The youth are educated on social, political and economic issues when they read articles in the newspapers.
Newspapers educate both the youth and adults on the opinions and feelings of people in the world on various
issues.
Newspapers educate people about new inventions, discoveries and developments in Science, Technology,
Health and Diseases.
When students read newspapers, they learn about different styles of writing.
Students who read newspapers regularly improve their reading in terms of fluency and speed as they become
familiar with a lot of words.

Newspapers in the information of the public:

Newspapers provide reports on both local news and foreign news. They provide news on crime, natural
disasters, wars, the Stock Exchange, Sports, the weather and many other issues. These news are important in the
lives of many people including the youth.
Newspapers give information on current and existing laws, rules, regulations and bye-laws.
The youth can easily obtain information on the problems facing their country and other countries e.g. food
 shortage.
Through advertisements, information can be obtained from newspapers on types of goods one wants to buy
and in which shops they can be located. These goods may be clothes, shoes, computers etc.

Newspapers in Entertainment

We the youth are very much interested in entertainment.

Newspapers provide advertisement on entertainment, that is, various forms, venue, date and time.
Some students read newspapers during their free time as a form of entertainment.
The youth find crossword puzzles and quizzes in newspapers challenging and entertaining.
Some youth also get a lot of fun from reading jokes, poems, comics and cartoons in newspapers.

Although newspapers are advantageous in educating, informing and educating the youth, they also have
disadvantages. Some newspapers, especially private newspapers, contain some articles that are not reliable and
therefore not good or useful for the youth.

From our research, about 55% of our students read newspapers regularly. Most of them prefer reading youth
newspapers especially JUNIOR GRAPHIC published by the Graphic Communications Group. The students were of
the opinion that newspaper reading improves their reading. The students said the youth-focused newspapers write
articles that are suited to their needs.

Headlines of ten youth-related articles we selected from March 2008 editions of major newspapers are:
NGO introduces new methodology for English; Social welfare looks for parents of missing children; Catholic
Church announces new youth programme; Dadebo stresses the need for teaching ICT in schools; Child Protection
committees set up in 11 districts; Queen advises youth to be self-dependent; Academic excellence goes with
discipline; Presidents lifeline for BECE failures; NCCE expresses concern about child labour; ENO Environment
members mark Day.

We cannot imagine a world without newspapers. In view of the great importance of newspapers, we suggest
that all youth should be encouraged to read newspapers especially those written for the youth. Schools should also
be encouraged to publish their own newspapers where it is possible. All the youth are invited to the educative world
of newspapers. Let us cultivate the habit of reading newspapers.
 Importance of Reading Newspaper

Why Should Students Read Newspapers, Reading newspapers provides wide ranging benefits for
everyone in general but especially for the students they remain the most invaluable source of news and
information, despite the onslaught of the electronic media.

First and foremost all the students do not have an access to personal computers and the
internet, but the newspapers reach everyone.
Lots of information encompassing current affairs, politics, science and technology,
education, health, medicine, sports, industry and the markets can be received
anywhere at any time of the day through newspapers.
Important data, timetables, advertisements, courses and career options for various
categories of students appear in newspapers.
Reading newspapers automatically improves ones language skills. News items and
articles are written by learned and intelligent people. They know how to use language as
an efficient tool for expression and communication. Precision and meticulous use of words
and expressions comes naturally to them. One can imbibe these qualities easily by paying
attention to language and style while going through news items and articles in a
newspaper.
One can sharpen ones communication skills, i.e. reading and writing. By reading
newspapers regularly at an appointed time reading and comprehension abilities get
enhanced. The more one reads, new words and expressions reveal their meaning to the
readers mind. Automatically the vocabulary gets enriched and the language becomes
richer, fluent and more expressive.
Newspapers are a treasure trove of information for students preparing for competitions and
contests. Knowledge coupled with good expression sets the stage for success in any
examination.

How to get the best out of newspapers?

A quick and careful scan of the newspaper gives a clear idea of what to read and what to
ignore.
One should also quickly identify the items/articles of utmost importance. They can be read
carefully while the other contents can wait to be read if the time permits.
It is a good idea to keep a pen and scissors handy. One should clearly mark and underline
anything of interest so that it can be read later with greater focus and attention.
Scissors can be used to cut out the clippings of importance which can be stored in a file.
Many a time vital information is lost because a cutting was not obtained immediately.
Mark new words and expressions which are used frequently. One should not shy away
from using a dictionary if the meaning of any particular word is not clear to ones mind.
The articles on the editorial page are highly recommended and one must make a habit of
reading these carefully for the content and the style.

To sum up reading newspapers regularly is an extremely gainful activity for the students. It a treasure
trove that renews its wealth every day before it is on our doorsteps.