Mum's disability shapes NYP student's future
Amala Pannirselvam grew up with a mother who is deaf and speech-impaired.
She said: "People were not as understanding of her and her disability. They may not have seen or interacted first-hand with a hearing-impaired person, so they weren't very friendly sometimes.
"For instance, if she was in a bus and asked for help with directions, they would stare at her weirdly."
Inspired to change society's views on disability, and help people her age who feel neglected and abandoned, Amala, 17, was determined to pursue social work.
Unsure of how she would perform in her O levels, Amala applied to Nanyang Polytechnic through the Early Admissions Exercise (EAE), and was called up for an interview.
Her application was successful and she is now pursuing a diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work) at the school, and looks forward to getting an internship at a family or youth centre.
She said: "EAE was definitely beneficial for me.
"The fact that I had been accepted into my desired course even before I sat for the exams was a stress reliever." - SIM YAN LING
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