Newspaper initiative to improve literacy.

AN INITIATIVE to give transition year students a better idea of how newspapers work and to improve literacy will begin on Monday.  The Press Pass scheme will see free national and regional newspapers distributed to 14,000 students in 250 schools over a fortnight.  They will be accompanied by a workbook.

The idea “should help to improve literacy standards for those students taking part” because of the “strong yet practical focus on reading and writing”, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said yesterday.

The initiative by National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) is in conjunction with the Department of Education.