There are 212 visually and hearing impaired students attending government, church and private schools, Minister for Education and Employment, Evarist Bartolo, said.

Nationalist MP Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici asked Bartolo a set of questions regarding how many people have a visual, hearing and speaking difficulty and are receiving an education in Malta’s schools.

Bartolo said that within the government, church and private schools, 80 students have difficulties with their sight and 132 students have difficulties with their hearing. 16 out of the 80 students have cochlear implant and hearing aid, and are now learning to communicate. Within the government schools there are no students who have such difficulties.

Bartolo said that 13 students at MCAST are hearing-impaired, four students are non-speaking, five students are visually impaired and three people are both visually and hearing impaired, he said. Bartolo said that 23 students at the University of Malta are hearing-impaired, and 20 students are visually-impaired. 

A similar question dealing with the number of people who suffer from these difficulties and are acquiring some form of social help was asked to the minister for family, children’s rights and social solidarity, Michael Falzon.

The minister said that it was not possible to provide any information regarding the number of people who are getting help with their speech and hearing because no statistics are kept, but 371 persons who are visually impaired receive what is known as the Blind Pension.