More people with disabilities gain access to education

e-Zhejiang

10th March 2023

More people with disabilities gain access to education

Access to quality education is one of the top priorities for people across the board, but for those living in rural areas or those with disabilities, that access can be more difficult. To make sure that those on the margins get educated and have more fair chances in life, the government has pushed for more inclusive education over the past decades.

Someone who has seen the improvements firsthand is 50-year-old Yang Yang from Zhejiang province, who has lived with a severe hearing impairment from the age of 4. Yang, a council member of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, is serving as a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference this year.

"Because of my hearing disability, I am unable to correct my pronunciation. Having a hearing disability is like a glass wall separating us from people who can hear," she said.

"But thanks to the development of hearing aids and an improved and more accessible environment with rehabilitation services and inclusive education, people with hearing loss also have a voice."

Growing up she had experienced hardship in schooling and finding a job.

"I was refused by many normal schools and whenever I got the chance for conditional admission, I just kept staring at teachers' mouths in class to imitate their pronunciation. I didn't have hearing aids and a cochlear implant until I was 38."

It is a very different situation today, with people with such disabilities able to better participate in education and even attain doctorates and study overseas, she said.

http://www.ezhejiang.gov.cn/2023-03/10/c_867905.htm