Chinese Woman, 102, Joins Primary School!

By Cara

Friday, April 9, 2010, 10:55

There is no age for learning - that's what Ma Xiuxian, a Chinese woman who had recently turned 102 believes. At this age, she she attended her first class at a local Chinese primary school.

Studying at the primary level with other five year old kids, Ma had made it to the record books as the world's oldest kindergarten pupil.

Ma never got the opportunity to attend school as a child. When she was 13 she started working in a cotton mill and got married at the age of 18. She later became mum to nine children, seven of whom went on to university. However, the urge to study never left her.

Though she wears a hearing aid and uses a magnifying glass to read and write, Ma is as enthusiastic as any other child in the class.

The school offered her a place after reading about her desire to study in a local newspaper.

"My mother even sold her jewellery to help put us through school and her biggest dream was to go to school one day herself," said her son, Yi Fengxin, 58.

At the end of her first day at school Ma said, "Thank you teacher! Thank you my classmates! I'll study hard and make my contribution to the country."