News

After 40 years of working for the University of Botswana, Ms Gape Mapii, has bid the institution goodbye following her retirement from service. Born in Mahalapye in 1962, Ms Mapii had been serving the university as Assistant Manager Financial Services at the time of her retirement.

Ms Mapii’s eyes light up as her memory harks back to when she joined the University of Botswana in 1982, fresh from secondary school. She recalls the aura in the country when it finally had its own University after separating from Lesotho and Swaziland.

Mapii says she remembers vividly hearing that the Department of Labor had made a call for people to register their names to be employed at UB. She was later called to work at the bookstore as an accounts clerk in September of the same year. Another nostalgic moment for her in 1982 was serving as an usher at the inauguration of the University of Botswana and inaugural graduation ceremony.

While qualifications and experience were not a pre-requisite at that time, herself and others enrolled to further their studies. She studied for a Diploma in Business and Accounting Studies (DABS) and was later promoted to Accounts Officer. Furthermore, UB sponsored her to do Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce in 1993 which saw her promoted to Assistant Manager Financial Services.

Ms Mapii reckons that it was a privilege to have served the country and wintnessing the growth of the University of Botswana from a few buildings to a reputable institution of higher learning.