Jiangsu is on the cusp of having its very first blind teacher, thanks to the dedication of a student at Shanghai’s top university and a fortuitous timing for the opening of her employer that is a school for the blind in Wuxi.
Zhu Lingjun, who is set to be the first blind graduate student at Fudan University, is currently busy preparing for her graduation thesis, defence and other matters, and readying herself to work in society.
It’s been a particularly difficult road in education for Zhu. Born totally blind, an operation at 4 months helped her gain a certain sense of light and the ability to see blurred images. Yet, her movement and learning remained limited.
Lacking a school for the blind in her hometown, her parents gave up their jobs and moved to Shanghai, so Zhu could study at the Shanghai School for the Blind. From primary school through to high school, Zhu not only completed her work, but also became more independent and an outstanding student.
After arriving at Fudan, Zhu’s learning began with the sounds of screen-reading software. Long-term practice has enabled her to learn and type proficiently by way of voice.
Along her journey, whether it was studying, travelling, or taking care of life’s trivialities, Zhu has always been surrounded by many people who take the initiative to help her. Hu Tong is a classmate who often assists to convert course-related charts into a readable format. Hu said that Zhu will advise as to her needs in advance. “She tells me, ‘Deal with your own affairs first, and then help me’. We often encourage each other”, said Hu.
But as she neared graduation, Zhu began to look for jobs and submit resumes, but found that it was not easy for blind college students to find a job that matched their knowledge and abilities.
However, as luck would have it, Wuxi School for the Blind and Deaf started construction on 30 August, 2023. Able to accommodate 300 students, the green building adopts a barrier-free design helping to allow children to receive high-quality specialised education, reports The Paper.
With the School offering her a job, it therefore came to be on 19 March, at a signing ceremony for the introduction of outstanding young talent in to the Wuxi education system, that Zhu officially became the first blind teacher in Wuxi and Jiangsu Province.
At that day’s event, Zhu said, “I hope that through what I have learned, I can truly contribute to our country and society”.
