An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, launched a NCBI’s new bursary programme for third level students who are blind or vision impaired. The bursary is funded by the NCBI.
The Taoiseach said: “In a Republic of Opportunity, it’s important for us to think about how we can remove barriers to young people with sight loss accessing third level education. Going to college comes with extra challenges if you have a disability, so I would like to commend the NCBI for introducing this new bursary which will help students to cope with the extra costs they may face, allowing them to get the most from their college experience.”
While the total numbers of students with disabilities rose 4% from 2015 to 2016, the number of students who are blind or vision impaired actually fell by 10%.
Students Patrick, Bobbie and Jessica, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Senator Martin Conway
Chris White, CEO of NCBI said: “The barriers that young people with sight loss face in progressing in education are complex and far reaching. Not only is there an impact on their educational attainment but also their employment aspirations and opportunities. It is NCBI’s hope that this bursary will go some way to offsetting the additional costs of living with sight loss for students moving on from second level and improve their opportunities.”
NCBI’s annual bursary is to the value of €3,000 per annum, with €1,500 available for a male student and €1,500 for a female student. This sum will be paid annually for up to four years, giving the students a total contribution of up to €6,000 towards their education. In addition, NCBI will offer a 6-month internship to one of the bursary recipients annually, helping them to gain work experience and giving them a chance to further prepare for employment.
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