Joseph S. Maruge | Oldest primary pupil, 89

Joseph Stephen Kimani Nganga Maruge, 89, a Kenyan believed to be the world's oldest pupil, died Friday of stomach cancer in Nairobi. In 2004, he entered primary school so he could learn to read the Bible.

Mr. Maruge accomplished that goal, but he remained shy of completing primary school. "In the morning, he used to wake up early to read the Bible before going to school," his granddaughter Anne said Monday.

Mr. Maruge enrolled in a school in Eldoret after the government made primary school free. He wore a schoolboy's uniform - shorts, sweater, and long socks - and walked to class with the aid of a cane and holding a book bag. The Guinness Book of World Records listed him as the world's oldest primary-school pupil.

Mr. Maruge, who is survived by four children, 19 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, overcame great odds to attend school. All his belongings were stolen during Kenya's bloody postelection violence in early 2008, forcing him to flee. He continued his studies in a displacement camp until the Red Cross relocated him to an old-age home that year. His classes ended when he became ill in January.

In 2005, Mr. Maruge went to New York to promote a global campaign to get more children into schools. "Liberty means going to school and learning," he said at that time. "You are never too old to learn." - AP