Benjamin C. Thema (born 1912, died 1982) was a

Motswana Motswana ( Batswana; also spelled MoTswana, pl. BaTswana) may refer to: * A member of the Tswana people, an ethnic group in southern Africa * A citizen of Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Sout ...

educationist and politician. Thema was born in Ranaka, Bangwaketse Reserve. He became the first president of Bechuanaland Student Association in 1939. In 1946 he founded the Tshidi Barolong secondary school in

Mafikeng Mahikeng ( Tswana for "Place of Rocks"), formerly known as Mafikeng and alternatively known as Mafeking (, ), is the capital city of the North West province of South Africa. Close to South Africa's border with Botswana, Mafikeng is northeast ...

, and in 1955 became its principal. He joined the

Bechuanaland Democratic Party The Botswana Democratic Party (abbr. BDP, colloquially known as Domkrag) is a centre-right political party in Botswana. From the country's inaugural election in 1965 until the 2024 general election the party governed the country without interrup ...

in 1964, and was elected to the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

in the elections of 1965. Then he joined the cabinet, first as

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

1965-1966, and from 1966 to 1974 as

Minister of Education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...

References

1912 births 1982 deaths Botswana educators Finance ministers of Botswana Education ministers of Botswana Botswana Democratic Party politicians Members of the National Assembly (Botswana) 20th-century Botswana politicians {{Botswana-bio-stub