More than 30 years after the SPD Education Programme (EP) was launched to support students with physical disabilities from low-income families in mainstream schools, it now extends its support to students with sensory disabilities in similar underprivileged situations.

A presentation ceremony was held at the Holiday Inn Atrium on 14 January for 95 bursary recipients from low-income families and four SPD Youth Aspiration Award winners. Minister of State for the Ministry of Education & Ministry of Communications and Information, Dr Janil Puthucheary, was the Guest-of-Honour.

“In alignment with SPD’s direction to serve the wider community of persons with disabilities, we have expanded the bursary and YAA criteria to beyond children with physical disabilities. We hope that not only would the financial assistance be of help to these students and their families, but also the case management services and learning and development component would address any unmet psychosocial needs in the mainstream education system and enable them to integrate better socially,” said Ms Chia Yong Yong, President, SPD, on the improvements to the bursary disbursement.

We thank NatSteel Holdings for their continued their support of $95,400 in bursaries and another $20,000 for the SPD Youth Aspiration Awards.