Grandma essays high school proficiency tests

A 72-year-old woman joined more than 310,000 junior high school students around the country to take part in the first of two academic proficiency tests Saturday, becoming the oldest person to take the test this year.

Hsu Hsiu-ruan (許秀鑾), a graduate student in adult learning classes at the Taipei Municipal Shihlin Junior High School, drove a motorcycle to the Taipei Fuhsing Senior High School for the test.

Like other test-takers, she had a contingent of supporters with her, but instead of the parents who usually accompany students, hers comprised relatives and old friends.

Hsu a magnifying glass into the classroom. After the first test in the Chinese language, she seemed to hit her stride, without showing signs of nervousness, saying that the test was not a problem. Anyway, she said, she could always come back next year if she fails this year.

Hsu born when Taiwan was still under Japanese colonial rule. After her children grew up, and her economic burden lessened, she decided to pick up her education. After studying in adult classes at the Shihlin Primary School, she continued at Shihlin Junior High School's adult classes.

During the six years at Shihlin Junior High, Hsu was credited as a diligent student who never missed a day of class.