WELL DONE to Dr. Aoife Kearney our wonderful Chairperson, whose legal challenge assisted by the Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission, has succeeded in securing Modified Digital Exam papers for Leaving Cert and Junior Cert students with a vision impairment. This will make a huge difference to blind and vision impaired students going forward enabling them to access their exams independently. The previous pilot (2023 resulting from another legal battle by another parent) excluded all students who needed modified papers, therefore excluding the most needy students with VI from benefitting. It also excluded all Junior Cert Students too.
Efforts by Féach over the year to convince the SEC to broaden the pilot to include these students failed, Aoife was forced to make a WPC case on grounds of discrimination to ensure her daughter could access her exams, with the help of the IHCREC they succeeded in getting the pilot expanded.
It is a worrying trend that parents have to constantly take on government departments legally to insure inclusion for their children with additional needs. At the center of all these battles is a child and a family fighting for equality.
Check out full story: https://www.ihrec.ie/successful-legal-challenge-leads-to…/
The State Exam Digital Papers scheme has been expanded following a successful legal challenge by a 14-year-old Junior Cycle candidate with a severe visual impairment. The young student tells RTÉ News,
“I’m glad of this result,” “not just for me but many other students who also need digital papers for equal access to State exams”.
Having this insight at 14 years of age shows a great sense of maturity, having the vision to think of others coming behind you is remarkable, what a strong young lady. Thank you
