By FRANCIS RODNEY PULU
AS one of the handful of private PNG-owned training institutes in the country, Mapex Training Institute (MTI) has been progressive in its growth over the years.
The success of the institute is due to the vibrant and visionary leadership of its founder and managing director, Marcus Palem Kara.
Kara laid the foundations for the institute in 2004, when he first ventured into the education industry while operating as Training and Consultancy Service (TCS).
The vision to expand his services in education received a major breakthrough in 2015, when TCS, after 11 years of service in the education spectrum, was officially renamed Mapex Training Institute -and the rest is history.
The institute’s key focus is meeting the high demand for courses from the formal education system’s dropouts, who wish to further their field of interest and studies.
Since its establishment, the institute has been steadily branching out and gaining a foothold in other parts of the country.
Last year MTI reached another milestone when it was registered under the Department of Higher Education Research Science and Technology (DHERST), along with five other similar institutes in the country.
This means the institute is now a beneficiary of such benefits as accorded to educational establishments under the department.
Kara once said that he envisions Mapex Training Institute becoming one of the first private universities in the country.
Crucial to this ambition is the institute’s ability to offer courses which are in demand, along with the employment of qualified, trained experts who can offer the best to the students in their field of studies.
Last week during the orientation of the business studies strand in Port Moresby, Kara announced that the institute will be inaugurating its first governing council, which would consist of ex-officio and non ex-officio board members.
He said the council will play an important role, including directing the institute, making laws and policies and ensuring the institute attains its progressive aspirations.
“I am humbled that we have reached the stage where we now have a governing council as it speaks much of what we can achieve in the years to come,” Kara said.
He said along with the council structure, there is also an internal board of directors for the academic, financial and disciplinary aspects of the institute.
Kara said the daily operations of the institute would be overseen by the internal board.
Incumbent council chairman Watt Kiddie, who is a certified account by profession, said the council will play a critical role to ensure the institute functions and grows.
Dr Solomon Awili, a non ex-officio board member who is a lecturer at UPNG, said the board members are all nationals and would ensure the institute grows.
“The challenge is now for all of us to play a part and promote this institute so it can be competitive in the industries,” he said.
Inaugural MTI governing council:
NON EX OFFICIO: -Chairman Watt Kiddie (MBE, MBA, CPNG, PNGID), Professor Leo Marai (PHD, MA, BA), Raymond John (MBA, BA), Steven Ranawa (LLB), Dr Solomon Awili (PHD, Mfin, BEC, Dip in Acct); EX OFFICIO: Deputy Chairman Marcus Palem Kara (BA, UPNG), Secretary Peter Kanaparo (Mcom, Hon, BSA), (yet to be appointed) Chief Executive Director, Quality Assurance and Compliance, Deputy Director.
INTERNAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS: director for finance and human resource, director of academic affairs, director of administration and operation
