Students with severe hearing, physical and visual disabilities will now get more help as they pursue their studies at polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).
They can now each receive up to $70,000 over the course of their studies, to buy assistive technology devices and support services, such as note-taking and signing interpretation.
This funding will be disbursed as part of a new high-needs category under the existing Ministry of Education Special Educational Needs (SEN) Fund, launched in 2014.
Those with less severe physical impairments will continue receiving up to $5,000, and those with less severe hearing or visual disabilities will continue to receive up to $25,000. This is what students with severe disabilities were also entitled to previously.
Eligible recipients must be Singaporean, full-time students at a polytechnic or ITE, and be professionally certified to have severe physical or sensory impairment. Family income is not among the criteria.
Since it was launched in April 2014, 60 students from the polytechnics and the ITE have benefited from the SEN Fund.
Over 50 training courses can also now be funded by the Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA), ranging from those in IT to hospitality. Students with special educational needs can use their PSEA to attend SPD‘s training courses on digital tools and communication.
Read more here.
Source: The Straits Times, 21 September 2017