Kuala lumpur: In an age where information is readily available at the touch of a button, students from across the country are proving that newspapers and magazines still have a place in education by turning them into creative and interactive learning tools.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, at the Newspaper and Magazine (AKHMA) Workshop, held in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (PBAKL) at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today, nearly 200 students produced a variety of reference and learning materials using old newspaper and magazine clippings.
Nurafidah Mohd Khalid, a teacher-librarian and media teacher at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Putrajaya Presint 9(2), said the programme aimed to optimise the use of newspapers and magazines supplied to schools while making them more relevant to today's generation. She noted that the transformation of newspapers into more engaging formats encourages students to read and explore the material in a creative and interactive way.
Nurafidah, who also facilitated the workshop, emphasized that the approach not only promotes newspaper reading but also aids students in compiling information on selected topics and current issues for future reference. She highlighted the importance of newspaper exposure in helping students distinguish factual information from misinformation, especially in a time when social media is flooded with unverified content.
She explained that newspapers, written by professional journalists based on verified facts, teach students the 5W1H concept, which they can apply in news-writing exercises still taught in schools. Nurafidah added that although creating materials from newspaper clippings may seem simple, students must learn to organise information effectively to ensure important facts are not overlooked.
Participants of the three-hour workshop also took home their completed projects as a reflection of the knowledge and creativity gained during the programme. The AKHMA workshop was organised by the Educational Resources and Technology Division (BSTP) of the Ministry of Education and marked the second edition of the programme. The initiative demonstrates that print media continues to play an important role in nurturing reading habits, strengthening information literacy and fostering critical thinking among young people.