Kimani maruge biography definition

On 12 January , Kimani Maruge walked into the first-grade classroom at Kapkenduiywo Primary School in western Kenya. It was his first day of school, and, like other boys, he was wearing school uniform—a blue blazer with matching shorts and grey long socks—except that he was leaning on a cane and nearly 80 years older.

Although there was no official birth record, Maruge reckoned that he was born in Like many other children in his community, he missed out on schooling because he had to help his family man ends meet by planting crops and tending livestock. In the s, he fought in the Mau Mau uprising against the British for Kenya’s independence. Illiterate all his life, Maruge had always wanted to read the Bible. When free primary education was finally introduced in Kenya in , this widowed grandfather of 30 grandchildren decided to seize a belated opportunity. He knocked on the door of the primary school in the village and was admitted. He became a schoolmate of his two grandchildren

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The First Grader: A real life example of &#;age helps&#;!

Last week, as part of the 54th London Film Festival, I went to see The First Grader. A film described as &#;the inspiring story of an year-old Kenyan man&#;s fight for education and equality&#;.

When you work for a development agency like HelpAge International, anything you see which features an older person in the central role is wildly exciting. I definitely wasn&#;t disappointed. As soon as the film started, I was engrossed.

True story

The film is based on the true story of Kimani Maruge, who becomes the oldest person to enrol in primary school. Maruge is adamant he wants to learn to read and stubbornly returns, with school uniform, until the head teacher Jane allows him to join her class.

Scenes of him being turned away at the school gates, mocked and threatened by his neighbours who don&#;t understand why someone ‘so old&#; would want to learn, are brilliantly poignant. They are contrasted with flashbacks of

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Kimani Maruge

Oldest primary school pupil

Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge (c.&#; &#; August 14, ) was a Kenyan man who held the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to leave primary school, having enrolled on January 12, , aged ^[1] Although he had no papers to prove his age, Maruge believed he was born in

Maruge attended Kapkenduiywo Primary School in Eldoret, Kenya. He said that the government's announcement of universal and free primary school education in prompted him to enroll.

In Maruge, who was a model student, was elected head boy of his school. He was handed the responsibility to orient and nurture the students in the school.

In September , Maruge boarded a plane for the first time in his life. He was headed to New York City to address the United Nations World Summit on the importance of free primary and secondary education for all.^[2]

Final years

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Maruge's property was stolen by looters during the – post-election violence, and he