At 98, Kenya grandma chases school dream

Midwife Priscilla Sitienei has become a something of a celebrity as the oldest primary school student in Kenya. At 98, she sits in class alongside some of the pupils she helped bring into the world.

Sitienei, who comes from the remote village of Ndalat in Nandi county, had always wanted to become a doctor. Though that opportunity never came her way, she instead used her traditionally learned skills to help mothers deliver their babies safely at home.

Still, she never let go of her dream to get an education. Giving her a dose of inspiration was a move by the Kenyan government in 2003 to make primary education free. However, it wasn't until almost a decade later that she could finally enter a classroom.

Her journey on the road to self-improvement has served as an inspiration for many in Kenya, where it was common among members of the older generations to miss out on schooling to make ends meet.

David Kinyanjui, the head teacher at Leaders Vision Preparatory School, said that while it was challenging to integrate Sitienei into the class in 2011, her determination to get an education convinced the school authorities to enroll her. Sitienei, fondly known as Gogo－or grandmother in her native language－hasn't looked back.

"Gogo could only communicate in her mother tongue of Kalenjin and Kiswahili but she was willing to start learning at the lowest level so that she could learn some English. Currently at grade six, she has learned the language and even though she is not fluent in it, she can understand what the teachers are saying in class," Kinyanjui said.

Sitienei said: "I wanted to inspire children, especially girls, that education is important in shaping their future and getting out of poverty. Being a grandmother, I have witnessed some of my grandchildren drop out of school due to early pregnancies or lack of interest and the best way to show them the importance of education was by going back to school myself."

Record holder

Kinyanjui said that his school is proud to hold the record of having the oldest primary school student in the country. Then aged 87, Sitienei beat the record set by an 84-year-old.

"As a school, we are very proud of her because she has put our school on the world map. Since the day she enrolled in our school, Gogo has been a blessing since she has been a motivator to all the pupils," he said.

In August, Sitienei made a 10-day tour to France, with the highlight being the premiere of a movie inspired by her life story. Gogo Priscilla features her as the main character in the film, which was produced by Ladybirds Cinema and directed by French filmmaker Pascal Plissom.

"Through the exposure Gogo has brought to our school, some of our pupils are featured in the film and were able to travel with her to France," Kinyanjui said.

Sitienei said that despite poor eyesight, which has slowed down her studies, she plans to continue with her books until the day her body becomes too frail to walk.