Access can’t wait until university, says blind graduand

A blind student and disability rights advocate preparing to graduate from the University of the West Indies has called for disability access in primary schools, saying universities are inadequately equipped, and education policies too often ignore those they affect.

At age 68, Elviston Maloney will cross the stage on Saturday to receive his degree in psychology and management after seven years at UWI’s Cave Hill Campus.

He believes accessibility for disabled students cannot begin at university; it must start in primary school. He contends that tertiary institutions are not adequately equipped to accommodate students with disabilities.