| The issue: |
Dear Sir George, I was very pleased to see that you are raising the issue of the educational attainment of children with hearing problems. It goes all the way through the system. For example, just 16 people,deaf/hard of hearing are doing research degrees inthe UK. The figure should be 10 times that. My concern stemmed from my son losing the hearing in one ear at 16, due to a cholesteatoma, a tumour. Nevertheless, he went to the University of Liverpool and was doing well until, in his Final year the tumour regrew, causing pain, illness, tinnitus. The University did not have the Disability provisions in place and he was given a Pass degree. Then an operation on the tumour went wrong and he was too ill to properly complain about the University. Eventually, he was able to successfully do an MSC elsewhere. He has always wanted to do a PhD, but the Medical Research Council rules say he must have a 2.2 as well as the Masters. All of this is to say that bringing actions under the DDA is more difficult than is believed and that the Higher Education sector is still not taking its responsibilities towards disabled people seriously. More details are, of course, available. Kind regards, Jim Wildman |
Sir George Young Bt MP: Constituency and Parliamentary Website 