BY JOE GURINA
A tourism institution set up in Mekeo, Kairuku District of Central Province, has seen interest from school leavers and even villagers who have formal education.
The number of registrations has soared since last week during the institute’s students orientation week and is expected to double this week.
Managing director and founder of the Eco Pacific Tourism Institute, Alphonse Foemae, said the school is giving away 160 scholarship for placements to the entire Kairuku District.
The institution is set up at Inauaia village, Ward 5 of the Mekeo LLG.
Mr Foemae, an educationist by profession, said the institute aimed to bring skills based training to local communities.
He added that it was recognised as the country’s only standalone tourism institute after been recently accredited to the TVET Division in Madang by the Department of Education. The institution has a set up at Matugar in ward 17 of the Sumkar district, in Madang.
Mr Foemae said the Matugur campus in Madang established in 2023, and was provided with a double classroom by the Sumkar District Development Authority under local MP Alex Olme Suguban. The project will be fully completed by the end of this month.
He said the Inauia campus in Mekeo would be a boarding campus and would offer trade courses in tourism.
He said the objective of the institution was to train young people while emphasising on the importance of values that the institution would impart to students to motivate their learning.
“PNG is not only rich in cultural diversity but also in values. Therefore, the nature of tourism is all about values that the institution embarks on,” Mr Foemae said.
“So in the institution, we empower our young people with values that can be transformed to help their families, communities and the country as well.”
He said the institute would conduct National Certificate 1 and National Certificate 2 courses in tourism, and diploma programs would be offered July.
He added that students’ learning would be competency-based, where they would have the opportunity to learn how to use and develop tourism products from theory to practical terms, like building guest houses and commercial cooking.
Mr Foemae said students would be given on-spot employment opportunities through the Tourism Promotion Day, which the institute would host.
”The Tourism Promotion Day is an occasion where we will have scouts representing each industry’s through our supplementary subjects like , logistics, aviation, health & safety to see performance of the students and get employed on the spot.”
He also urged business houses and stakeholders to support the institution with the Tourism Promotion Day.
Mr Foemae, who is part Inauaia (Mekeo) and Salamaua in Morobe Province, thanked the Inauaia community for allowing the institute to set up its campus on their land.
Inauaia ward councillor Norman Mapai commended Mr Foemae for establishing the institute in his ward, which would provide opportunities for his people to gain knowledge and skills for a better future.