Gaositwe K. T. Chiepe
Gaositwe Kogakwa Tibe " G.K.T. " Chiepe MBE ( born October 20, 1922 ( according to other sources: 1926 ) in Serowe, Botswana ) is a former Botswanan diplomat, politician, and was not only the first Minister of Botswana, but also the first woman to her home country with a university degree.
Biography
Professional and political career
Gaositwe Chiepe completed her primary education in the Bechuanaland Protectorate and continued her further education in Vryburg at Tiger Kloof Educational Institute continues, the first higher education institution for Botswana. Subsequently, she studied education at the University of Fort Hare, until the 1960s the only higher educational institution for black Africans in South Africa.
In 1946 she completed his studies with a Bachelor of Science ( B.Sc. Education) and was the first woman of Botswana with a university degree. Subsequent studies at the University of Bristol, she finished in 1948 with a Master of Arts ( MA) and was also the first time women in Botswana who completed postgraduate studies.
Upon her return to Bechuanaland, she entered the teaching profession in the country and was initially assistants education officer ( Assistant Education Officer ), before it was 1953 and then 1962 Senior Inspector Education officer (Senior Education Officer ). In 1965 her appointment as Deputy Director of Educational Administration.
After the country's sovereignty on September 30, 1966 Gaositwe Chiepe 1968 first Director of Educational Administration ( Director of Education ) and was then at the same time and as Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Denmark 1970-1974 High Commissioner in the United Kingdom and Nigeria and was Norway accredited. At the same time she was Permanent Representative to the European Communities ( EC).
Upon her return to Botswana in 1974, she was a member of the National Assembly, representing the constituency since there Serowe South.
At the same time, she was appointed by President Seretse Khama to the Minister of Trade and Industry. Following a cabinet reshuffle in 1977, she was Minister of Mines and Natural Resources and has held this office under Khama's successor as President Masire Quett.
Masire called them, in a further reshuffle 1984 on the Foreign Minister. This position she held for ten years from to 1994.
Most recently, she was Minister of Education in 1994. After her resignation from the post in 1999, she served as chairman of the election observation mission of the Commonwealth of Nations at the 1999 elections in Zanzibar. Furthermore, it was an election observer in the 2000 parliamentary elections and the 2002 presidential election in Zimbabwe.
Honors and Awards
For her achievements she has received several awards and has won both the Order of Merit and the Medal for Outstanding Services to the President of Botswana, the commander dignity of the North Star Order of Sweden and the Order of the British Empire.
In addition, her honorary doctorates were conferred in Education at the University of Fort Hare, in literature and philosophy from the University of Chicago as well as in law from the University of Bristol. 2009 she was awarded the University of Botswana another honorary doctorate in jurisprudence.
For their efforts to strengthen diplomatic relations between Botswana and Japan, she was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Rising Sun in June 2010. It was particularly appreciated that on their own initiative in 1993 took place the first Tokyo Conference on African Development ( TICAD ).