Manama: Bahraini students with disabilities will be granted scholarships to pursue higher studies regardless of their grades and schools, the education minister has said.
"Higher education scholarships are invariably based on merit. However, disabled students receive them automatically without the need for the regular criteria," Majed Al Nuaimi said. "According to directives from the prime minister, all disabled high school graduates are granted a scholarship to a university or college of their choice," the minister told the members of the upper house.
The "positive discrimination" is to help the students to overcome their disabilities , move forward in their education and boost their employment chances, the minister said.
"After we dropped the criteria of competition and high grades, we were able to grant scholarships to 12 boys and girls in the 2008-2009 school year and to 14 students this academic year. That is a total of 26 students in two years," Al Nuaimi said.
Initial plans included scholarships to 22 students, but the figure was boosted to meet the number of those eligible for the grant.
"The number will be increased according to the need because there will be no limits on reinforcing the opportunities for this category of students," the minister said.
Bahrain teachers could also join a scheme to pursue graduate studies in various types of disabilities to help assist students with specific needs, he said.
Al Nuaimi had been asked by Muneera Bin Hindi, a chair-bound member of the Shura Council, to highlight the ministry's efforts to integrate and assist students with disabilities in their drive towards higher academic levels.
Muneera has been spearheading campaigns to ensure that ministries and government agencies offered ample opportunities to the disabled in Bahrain.
