NATIONAL: UP Promotes Paper Reading in Schools
The Uttar Pradesh government has rolled out fresh guidelines making newspaper reading a required daily activity in all state-run primary and secondary schools.
Issued on December 23 by Additional Chief Secretary Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma, the order seeks to nurture a stronger reading culture among young learners.
Schools must stock both Hindi and English newspapers in their libraries to support this effort.
Morning Assembly Reading Slot
Each day, at least ten minutes during the morning assembly will focus on newspapers.
Students take turns reading aloud key editorials and positive stories from national, international, and sports sections.
This routine aims to spark interest in current events while cutting back on excessive digital device use.
Building Vocabulary and Awareness
A daily “word of the day” feature requires selecting five challenging words from articles to display on school notice boards.
This simple step helps expand students’ language skills over time. Regular exposure to news is expected to sharpen general knowledge, critical thinking, and focus.
Extra Activities to Engage Learners
Schools are encouraged to go further by motivating students to create their own newsletters or magazines.
Older classes can hold group discussions or write editorials on topics. Competitions like crosswords and Sudoku add fun, while younger ones might make scrapbooks from clippings.
Benefits for Future Readiness
Officials highlight how this practice prepares children for competitive exams through better awareness and reasoning abilities.
It also builds skills to spot misinformation in an era of rapid online content. The move extends earlier campaigns promoting books over screens.
Part of Ongoing Reading Push
This directive follows a November initiative that boosted library access and non-textbook borrowing.
Together, these steps reflect a broader commitment to balanced learning habits. Educators see it as a practical way to connect classroom lessons with the wider world.