Brief History and Organizational Overview

Maru-a-Pula is still a young school. In 1972, the President of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama, actively encouraged the creation of a nonracial school. Deane Yates,  previously Headmaster of St. John's College in Johannesburg, R.S.A., was the founding Headmaster, and worked with the gracious gift of 20 hectares from the government of Botswana to establish Maru-a Pula, then in the bush on the outskirts of town. One of the first members of Yates's staff was David Matthews, who succeeded him in 1981. The third Principal, Malcolm McKenzie, who took over in 1991, was a Rhodes Scholar from Cape Town, R.S.A.

Maru-a-Pula grew rapidly during its early years as the USAID grants for classrooms and laboratories allowed the campus to keep pace with the exploding student population. Even so, the school has always had many more applicants than it can accept.

Unlike many International Schools, Maru-a-Pula deliberately enrols a high percentage of local citizens: over half the students are Batswana. Maru-a-Pula has a School Council which is ultimately responsible for the general policy and financial management of the School. The Principal, who is a member of the Council, directs the School on a day to day basis. There are two Deputy Principals (one for Staff and another for Operations), three Directors of Study (Forms 1 and 2, IGCSE, and A Level), a Director of Maitisong, a Director of Co-Curricular Activities, a Director of Student Welfare and a Director of Developement and Alumni Affairs.

Past and Present Principals of MaP

 - Deane Yates (founding - 1980)
 - David Matthews (1980 - 1990)
 - Malcolm McKenzie (1990 - 1999)
 - Neil Smooker (1999 - 2000)
 - Garth Grierson (2001 - 2003)
 - Alan Wilson (Acting, 2003 - 2004)
 - Andrew Taylor (2004 - present)