Illegal bLoGGing

Meet Kimani Nganga Maruge.

At 85 years old, he is the world’s oldest school pupil. Two of his thirty grandchildren are actually attending the same primary school in Kenya, though they are in more senior classes.

Kimani is in the second grade and is probably just beginning to learn how to write in shorthand. Isn’t it the coolest thing ever to meet your grandpa in the school corridor during breaks?

"Yo, grandpappy! Wassup? Enjoyed today’s lessons? Yeah, of course, I can help you with your homework later tonight."

The Kenyan government introduced free primary schooling in 2004. Primary education became accessible to everyone. Kimani, a former guerilla fighter, took the chance. To him, it is never too old to learn.

Kimani flew to New York this week with his headteacher to address the United Nations about the importance of free primary schooling. There are more than 100 million children all over the world who cannot go to school because of abject poverty.   

I have no statistics about children in the Philippines deprived of education. But a quick cruise in the streets of Manila would reveal thousands of children who should be sitting in classrooms rather than selling ylang-ylang or wiping car windshields for a few change. These poor kids, from the moment they could walk and grasp objects with their tiny hands have been brought up to look at life as nothing more than a game of survival. 

In principle, we have free-schooling in the public schools up to the high school level. The DepEd has been trying very hard to prohibit the collection of miscellaneous school fees from pupils. No one really knows where these fees end up except that suddenly, the school head is renovating his bungalow and the the school accountant is driving a brand new car.

People sometimes ask me, "Jonathan, don’t you ever get tired of studying?" I used to answer defensively and go great lengths describing the genuine joy I find in learning and discovering new things.   

But now I have a simple answer from Kimani. Why stop studying when you got the oppurtunity to do it?