GEORGE TOWN: Two visually-impaired students will be the glittering stars at Disted College's 25th graduation ceremony tomorrow.
Toh Chin Yuan, 21, and Lee Yong Pin, 26, will each be conferred with the Diploma in Business Technology.
Toh, who recently received the President Scholar Award for his top-notch achievement in the semester examination, will be announced as the Best Student in the graduation ceremony.
Blinded in his left eye for the past 11 years, Toh said he was grateful at being able to pursue his studies at the college as it provides great opportunities for visually-impaired students like him to enhance their lives.
"I am thankful to my family, lecturers and friends for my achievements.
"Each and every one of them strived hard to impart the much-needed knowledge. They are also accessible beyond the lecture hours for consultation," he said told the New Straits Times.
Toh said for people like him, it was really difficult to get the full college experience outside the classroom as well as to travel around the town on weekends.
"However, my friends will usually offer to pick me up and drive me around and I thank them for that," said Toh, the son of a construction worker.
Although he received a scholarship from Hong Leong Bank, Toh is still facing financial problems due to the high living standards.
"Instead of depending entirely on my parents, I am trying hard to do a part time job to ease their burden too," he said.
As for Lee who lost his sight right after undergoing a brain tumour surgery in 2011, he usually received certificates for academic excellence from the college.
"Blindness is just an attribute I happen to have.
“It doesn’t define who I am...I am just like everybody else. The only difference is that sometimes I need to take in information in different ways,” he said.
Lee said his only access to lecture notes was through the use of a screen reader and this never stopped him from performing well in his studies.
Previously, Lee studied in the University of Manitoba, Canada under the American Degree Transfer Programme. He however flew back to Malaysia after the surgery.
"My dream to pursue a degree is fulfilled with the opportunity created for me by the college.
"I have successfully done my diploma here and am now pursuing a degree in accounting and finance," added Lee.
Both Yong and Lee became acquainted when they underwent the International Computer Driving License (ICDL), an internationally-recognised qualification in Information and Technology (IT), at the St Nicholas Home here previously.
Around 300 students will receive their scrolls during the graduation ceremony.