Jacqueline Gordon, school principal, told The Gleaner that newspapers have helped to improve students' current-affairs and general knowledge.

Heighten consciousness

"If employed in the classroom, it can impact their academic performance and heighten their consciousness," she said.

Gordon said the newspaper focus the school has adopted had started to reap rewards and was even providing career guidance.

According to Louis Clarke, science and mathematics teacher at West Avenue Institute and participant in The Gleaner's Newspaper In Education workshop earlier this year, the various publications served to give referential support to science studies and other subject areas.

"The Gleaner is most informative and helpful and is worth reading," said Clarke. "Otherwise, I would not buy the newspaper."

Student reading

He said about five to 10 per cent of students purchase newspapers, while others borrow copies.

Clarke complained that the reading capacity of some students was substandard, noting that those who were tutored at private schools demonstrated a greater capacity for mastery.

Boys were more inclined to read sports pages, the teacher also observed.

West Avenue Institute, which was founded in 1981, has close to 200 students on roll.