2019 UTME: Visually Impaired Students Urge JAMB To Provide Braille Machines For The Exercise

Twenty-five candidates from the Bethesda Home for the Blind, Mushin, Lagos State, who will participate in the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have urged the organizers to provide apex braille machines for the examination in the interest of the visually impaired.

The Proprietress, Mrs Chioma Ohakwe, made this known in an interview with newsmen today in Lagos.

She said that the school is doing everything possible to ensure that their candidates emerge successful.

“Each year, we are optimistic about the performance of our candidates in UTME, we believe this year is not going to be different.

“In 2018, all the 25 candidates we presented for the examination made us proud, as the highest scorer among them posted 233 marks, and the lowest had 204.

“We are expecting a better performance this year, judging from the kind of preparation we are making.

“Our appeal is for JAMB to ensure that the apex braille machine is provided for these candidates to do their best,’’ Ohakwe

She said that most visually impaired UTME candidates were not comfortable with the dictation mode deployed for them in the recent past.

“They complained that they do not get the words dictated clearly and could not read over their works before submission,” she said.

The proprietress appealed to governments to assist the home with funds to enable it to meet up with academic needs of the special candidates.

“These visually impaired candidates can compete with their sighted colleagues in the universities, given all the necessary learning aids.

“For instance, all visually challenged students in any university is expected to possess a laptop, a recorder and a mobility cane to guide him or her while moving around.

“This is apart from their feeding, accommodation and school bills.“We are appealing for assistance to encourage them and ensure their academic progress,” she said.