From paper to classroom: Newspapers transforming education across Uganda’s Acholi region

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Each week, 25 copies of the New Vision newspaper arrive at Wii–Aceng Primary School in Odek Sub-county, Omoro District, in Uganda’s Acholi region. For Christine Ochan, a teacher and a matron at the school, the delivery once a week seemed insufficient.

“I used to complain that the newspaper copies we get are not enough, but after receiving training on how to use them in class to aid learning, I must say we are very lucky to have the copies sent to us,” she says.

For Ochan, who cannot afford to buy even a single copy for personal use, the arrival of each batch has a big and important impact on learning.

“These newspapers are so helpful to us,” she says. They make teaching much easier. We use them to teach all subjects, from Mathematics, English, Science, and Social Studies. It’s making our teaching more real,” she says.

Ochan has seen firsthand how using newspapers encourages active participation in class. Learners are more involved, ask more questions, and engage directly with the content, an approach that is improving learning outcomes across her classroom.

A creative approach to learning

The Newspapers in Education (NiE) programme is an innovation that encourages the use of newspapers to deliver the education curriculum creatively in classrooms across Uganda to stimulate discussion among learners and promote literacy.

For over a decade now, since 2013, Vision Group, through Save the Children International, has implemented the NiE programme in various schools across Uganda.

A total of 52 schools in the Acholi region, including Omoro, Nwoya, Amuru and Gulu districts, are benefiting from the NiE programme. Newspapers are being used as instructional tools for both lower and upper primary levels to teach subjects like English language, social studies, mathematics and science, as well as reading and writing.

In partnership with Save the Children, New Vision is implementing the NiE programme in 92 schools in the Acholi and Karamoja regions, including training teachers on how to use newspapers in teaching. The most recent training was held from March 3 to 13, 2026, for nearly 100 teachers.

The Newspapers in Education (NiE) programme is a groundbreaking initiative that promotes the use of newspapers to teach Uganda’s education curriculum creatively. This programme stimulates discussions among students, promotes literacy, and encourages critical thinking.

Since its inception in 2013, Vision Group, in partnership with Save the Children International Uganda office, has implemented NiE in schools across Uganda, with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), enriching classrooms with current, relevant materials.

“Newspapers have reduced our workload,” says Solomon Ocitti, a senior male teacher at Latwong Primary School in Awach Sub-county, Gulu District. “It’s much easier now to extract information from the papers and link it to the lessons we are teaching.”

However, newspapers are not replacing textbooks, “they are complementing them as an additional teaching tool,” says Esther Arinaitwe, the Vision Group NiE manager.

She points out that some schools struggle with textbook shortages, but a creative teacher can still make the most of newspaper content. “For example, newspapers provide clear pictures that teachers can use to illustrate lessons. The impact of NiE largely depends on how creatively teachers use the materials,” she adds.

Many teachers agree with this sentiment. Denis Bonzzuu Okidi, a teacher at Awali Primary School in Odek Sub-county, Omoro District, says, “Newspapers are a rich resource for teachers. You will never run out of materials to use in the classroom,” he says.

“You can get newspaper cutouts, paste them on the manila and use them for learning so pupils can easily learn well. The children stay engaged with the newspapers, whether they are drawing, painting, or reading. It has made teaching much more enjoyable for us.”

Okidi also emphasises the broader classroom impact, noting that the use of newspapers strengthens relationships between teachers and learners.

“Learners won’t find time to do silly things; they will always be engaged. The teacher ends up with a more organised classroom and school,” he says, while encouraging fellow teachers to embrace the approach.

The benefits of the programme extend beyond the classroom. Catherine Akot, an infant and upper primary teacher at Nwoya Primary School in Lungulu Sub-county, Nwoya District, leads the NiE initiative at her school.

“The newspapers have made a huge difference in our learners' engagement,” she says. “They are reading more, and they are now aware of what other children across the country and around the world are doing. This has sparked a new excitement about learning.”

Akot also sees the broader impact on the community: “Parents are now more motivated to pay school fees and send their children to school because they see the value of this learning initiative.” This has supported school retention for children.

“It is what we want, the completion of primary school circle, from primary one to seven, and the trend should continue up to secondary level,” she says.

The NiE programme has also had financial benefits. Robert Arop, a teacher at Got-Ngur Primary School in Purongo Sub-county, Nwoya District, notes that access to the weekly newspapers has reduced the cost of acquiring other educational resources.

“It’s hard to find a place to buy newspapers in our village, and going online or using the radio for information can be expensive and unreliable,” he says. “Now, we have easy access to the news and educational materials.”

For teachers like Esther Odyek, an infant teacher at Awere Primary School in Odek Sub-county, the newspapers provide a constant stream of fresh, engaging content.

“The children are learning new things every time,” she says. “I use the newspaper cutouts to decorate my classroom and create print-rich environments,” adds Odyek, who teaches Literacy One and Two and English language.  

“I involve them in cutting newspapers and printing out our classroom to make it print-rich.”

“They also love reading the Toto magazine, especially when they see other children from different schools featured,” she says.  “In my class, I have a reading corner piled with newspapers and Toto magazines that the children frequent.”

Odyek says academic performance for the upper class has improved as well. “Last year, we had two students who achieved first-grade marks, thanks in part to the PASS-PLE pullout section in the weekend newspapers.

We used this section for revision, and it contributed to their success in the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).”

Many teachers across the region share similar success stories. Collins Alunyu, a teacher at Odek Primary School, believes that using newspapers has directly contributed to their students' excellent PLE results.

“We give them past question papers from the newspaper, and they practice solving them. This helps them prepare for the real exams and perform better,” he explains.

Growing adoption

Across the region, teachers who have experienced the programme are now actively encouraging others to adopt it.  Alunyu urges fellow teachers to take the initiative seriously:

“I want to encourage teachers throughout the country, or wherever NiE is being implemented, to take it seriously. Let’s use newspapers to acquire knowledge and teach,” he says.

Odyek is equally passionate, describing newspapers as one of the most effective instructional materials available today.

“I urge my fellow teachers to embrace using newspapers,” she says. “Some of our textbooks are outdated and lack fresh information. But newspapers bring new content every time, just hop on it.”

She adds that newspapers not only enrich teaching but also enhance the overall learning experience:

“There is a lot of great information in newspapers. I am delighted to use them, and I urge continued support so both teachers and learners can feel the goodness in teaching and learning.”

Empowerment

Paska Lala, a teacher from Otong Primary School in Pabbo Sub-county, Amuru district, attended her first NiE training. “I have learnt a lot from this training. I did not know how to integrate newspapers in education. But I have got knowledge on how to do it effectively now,” she revealed.

“This NiE programme is empowering to the teachers, even the children,” Lala says. It makes learning effective.

Sharing from here, a slight experience with NiE, she reveals that learners are very active and happy during lessons when using newspapers. “The newspapers help the children understand better and support teaching and learning sessions better,” she says.

Lala is confident that NiE will bring excellent performance in schools implementing the programme effectively. “I know when learners are engaged in activities like drawing, writing, and debating, it improves performance.”

Robert Ojara Robert a teacher of English Language at Pogo-Ogwera Primary School in Pogo Sub-county, Amuru district, agrees that newspapers make learning real and interesting in the class.

“Children like learning when it's being done practically,” he says. Newspapers make learning real and interesting in the classroom.”

The hands-on nature of using newspapers in the classroom is also praised by teachers like Walter Okello, from Labala Primary School in Pabbo Sub-county, Amuru District.

“Newspapers offer a wealth of real-world information that engages students. It not only helps them in the classroom but also empowers them to share knowledge with their families,” he says.

As teachers encourage one another to embrace the programme, many agree that NiE is fostering stronger relationships between teachers and students.

“Using newspapers in class keeps students focused and reduces disruptive behaviour,” says Okidi. “It makes teaching more interactive and enjoyable for both the teacher and the learner.”

Challenges and opportunities

Despite the successes, some challenges remain. Many teachers, such as Evelyn Laker from Pagik Primary School in Omel Sub-county, Gulu District, note that the limited number of newspapers at only 25 copies per school can sometimes hinder the effectiveness of the programme.

Still, teachers are adapting through group work and innovative lesson planning to maximise impact.

“From the training we have learnt that they can use the newspapers in groups, and make cut-outs for learning.”

Laker says that by using groups, the learners are going to participate more and be active in the class, and this is going to improve their reading skills.

“We were using the newspapers but not extensively. Some learners were not accessing newspapers,” says Laker. Now that we have learnt how to use them in groups and make cutouts, learners will participate more actively, and their reading skills will improve.”

“With more newspapers, we will involve more pupils in the lessons and improve their reading skills,” she says.

Laker and other teachers have committed to using the available newspapers more creatively, including utilising group work to ensure all students are actively engaged.

“We are also going to give various questions from the newspapers to learners, and they will keep reading even when we are not teaching. We shall also give questions for them to answer while in the class,” Laker says.

“It will make learners become more creative and more actively participate in the classes.”

Continuous training

Teachers also note that the NiE programme is already improving academic performance in many schools.

“At first, our learners were not performing very well,” says Grace Danida, a teacher at Paibona Primary School in Paibona Sub-county, Gulu District. “However, since the introduction of NiE, we engage them using the weekly PASS-PLE pullout, which provides questions and answers in subsequent newspaper editions. As a result, their performance has improved.”

She adds that exposure to stories in newspapers has boosted learner motivation:

“Seeing other children featured in newspapers has really inspired our learners. They have become much more interested in learning.”

However, Danida points out that limited copies remain a challenge: “Even when they share, the newspapers are not enough. We kindly request that the number of copies delivered to schools be increased beyond 25. If we had more newspapers, we would deliver lessons more effectively.”

Nonetheless, there is clear evidence of progress. “When we compare the learning conditions in our school before the intervention by Save the Children and Vision Group to now, there is a noticeable difference,” says Godfrey Odong, a teacher at Paibona Primary School.

“Learning has improved,” adds Odong, who oversees the Newspapers in Education programme at the school. “Learners are more interested and actively participate in class because they have access to newspapers.”

Commitment to effective use

Teachers like Sharon Akumu, a teacher at Maro-Awobi Primary School, are also making strides. She reflects on her second NiE training experience:

“I didn’t know that newspapers were also great learning tools for lower classes,” she says. “I’m now learning how to use the Toto Magazine more effectively, and I’m excited to implement it in my teaching.”

Akumu urges teachers outside the NiE programme to join the initiative:

“Newspapers in education are the best way of teaching learners. We should use them,” she says, emphasizing that newspapers help children become more informed and engaged.

The newspapers, teachers emphasise, come with many advantages.

“With newspapers, we as teachers are able to do further reading and stay informed about what is happening within our country and across the world. This widens our knowledge and understanding, and ensures that we teach our learners more effectively,” says Ocitti.

Learners also benefit by engaging in independent reading. With access to newspapers, they are able to carry out their own research on subjects beyond what is taught in class, strengthening their overall understanding.

A growing success

Ocitti, who was attending the NiE training for the first time, commended the initiative: “What I have acquired from this training will help me integrate newspapers better and prepare adequate learning aids when delivering my lessons.”

Akumu also urged teachers, including those in schools not yet enrolled in the programme, to embrace the approach.

“Newspapers in education are one of the best ways of teaching learners. We should all use them,” she said.

She added that through newspapers, learners gain a broader understanding of their peers and the world around them, helping them master subjects more effectively.

Arinaitwe emphasised that newspapers remain one of the most affordable ways to bring the world into the classroom.

“They present real events and people that children can connect with. Today, we want informed learners, not just crammers, but critical thinkers. When children read newspapers with real-life situations, they relate what they learn in class instead of memorising it,” she explained.

Toto Magazine Editor Grace Nampiima also highlighted the versatility of newspapers, noting that teachers can use every part of the New Vision newspaper, including Toto magazine, to make learning more relatable, engaging, and enjoyable for children.

This story was written with support from Save the Children Uganda and Vision Group