The Oldest Primary School Pupil

In 2004, 84-year-old Kimani Ng’ang’a Maruge of Kenya became the oldest primary school pupil in the world.  He said that the government’s announcement of universal and free elementary education in 2003 prompted him to enroll.  A year later, he was elected head boy of his school.

In September 2005, Maruge boarded a plane for the first time in his life, and headed to New York City to address the UN Millennium Development Summit on the importance of free primary education.