Lords issue warning on access to exams for disabled students

In an initial debate on the Equality Bill, Lord Low spoke out about the need for proposed new legislation on equality to fix long-standing concerns on access to exams for disabled students. 

The Equality Bill proposes to make changes to the exams system for disabled students. For example, the Government has said it wants to transfer responsibility for deciding what is or is not a reasonable adjustment in an exam to the new regulator of exams, Ofqual. However, NDCS, and a number of other charities, have a number of concerns over how the Bill is drafted, and want to see further changes. 

In the debate, known as a 'second reading' debate, Lord Low said:

"... the Minister will be aware of the uncomfortable history in which qualifications bodies have misguidedly chosen to demonstrate their commitment to standards that we all share by taking measures that disadvantage disabled people. They have lost the confidence of many disabled people by doing so. Clause 96 of the Bill explicitly authorises an exam system that disadvantages disabled candidates and says in terms that minimising this is merely desirable, not necessary. The wording does not sit comfortably in an Equality Bill. The Government is usually such a champion of the life chances of disabled people and their foundation on basic qualifications that I hope very much that we will be able to move this issue forward through a process of discussion."

In 2005, exam bodies withdrew much of the support available to disabled students in a bizarre misreading of disability discrimination legislation. NDCS led a coalition to reinstate this support and is now lobbying for more fundamental changes to ensure that deaf students have full access to exams.

In January, the Bill will be debated again and Lords will be able to propose changes to the existing draft of the Bill. NDCS is working with RNIB, Skill and Afasic and a range of peers in the House of Lords to ensure the Bill changes for the better for disabled students. 

More information:

Briefing on access to examinations and the Equality Bill for House of Lords second reading debate (154 kb)

Equality Bill (external website)