KARACHI, Jan 26: As many as five students, including four women, have finalized their admissions to masters’ programme at the Ida Rieu School and College for the blind and the deaf, said sources in the institution.

It was learnt that the process was still open to give admissions to the blind and deaf students having completed their degree education either at the Ida Rieu School or any other institution. This is for the first time that the institution had introduced master level programme under the arts faculty, and University of Karachi, the affiliating body, was being approached for the grant of some more time for carrying out the admission process.

Talking to Dawn, Qudsia Khan, the principal of the school said that the University of Karachi had allowed conducting education at the Ida Rieu for some of the MA subjects leading to award of KU degrees. The varsity had thoroughly inspected and examined us before the grant and now we feel that the act of introducing the master level education at Ida Rieu was nothing less than bringing laurels for the school, which was one of the oldest institutions working for the rehabilitation, education and training of the handicapped.

It was learnt that 12-16 students, including women, did appear on average from Ida Rieu in the HSC exams, while another about 10 in the degree level exams. A couple of school’s students have also earned top positions in the examinations, said a source.

The principal said that MA education was included at the Ida School and College in view of the fact that women students belonging to her centre had not been able to pursue education after degree classes in the absence of the related facility in the Ida Rieu premises. The dropout was surely a point of concern for us and that was why we requested the KU to grant permission for further education of the blind students.

Now the handicapped belonging to us and those from outside can take admission at Ida Rieu, where arrangements for higher education classes have been made at its Dr Mohammad Hussain Punjwani complex. The KU has approved teaching and examination of MA programme in Pakistan Studies, Urdu and Political Science, added Ms Khan.