Kiribati Campus Visit

After visiting the primary school then we ventured off to the Maritime Training Centre (MTC). It is quite an impressive setup perhaps the best in the Pacific. The MTC Principal or Commander in Chief!? I think they call them, is from Bulgaria and he took us on a very comprehensive tour of the facility. They have a couple of simulators of ships, engine setup etc. In fact the centre is setup like a ship, the harbour area, storeroom etc.. and it has a very strict disciplinary code. For instance if a student is 15 minutes late from shore leave i.e. when they go home for a break, they are instantly dismissed from the Centre. By the way, all students enrolled live on the premises throughout their studies and occassionally go for home break or shore leave in maritime terms. At the end of their studies, they have employment arrangements with German ships and Columbus Line to do their sea time.