The COVID-19 crisis has posed challenges for visually impaired students.

Many parents have lost their jobs, which has resulted in the decline in the number of visually impaired students attending schools.

Fiji School of Blind School Head, Sharmila Chandra says parents have promised to send their children back to school once the situation normalizes.

“There has been quite a lot of movement due to COVID-19. This is because some parents lost their job and some were not able to afford renting in urban areas so they had to move back to their villages. They did not want to take the children away but there was no other option but they have informed that as soon as things normalize, students will rejoin the school.”

Despite the hardships and academic barriers, the students have managed to excel academically.

Many of the visually impaired students have become a part of major organisations in Fiji.