The federal government is to establish science centres in the six geo political zones of the country to stimulate the interest of young people in science related disciplines.
Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who disclosed this while commissioning the chemistry pavilion block of the Assumpta Science Centre recently in Ofekata, Owerri, Imo state, said the centre will serve as the headquarters for informal science learning in Africa with Satellite centres in other parts of the continent.
According to the Minister, the centre shall become an important platform through which the challenge of poverty, disease, illiteracy and underdevelopment in Nigeria and other parts of Africa can be fought and defeated.
The project, he added showed the government’s commitment to partner with the Vatican to advance the frontiers of science and technology in an effort to enthrone knowledge based innovation driven economy.
“This project re-affirms Nigeria’s commitment to African as a key component of her foreign policy, especially in the pursuit of sustained African brotherhood, development and solidarity’’ he further said.
In his speech, the President- General of Ofekata community, chief Iwuorie thanked the Vatican and the Federal Government for collaborating to establish the centre in Ofekata. He called for more Federal Government’s presence in the community.
The Assumpta Science Centre is meant to offer didactic laboratories supporting Science teaching and Learning in Schools and University.
The centre will also serve as a means of reaching schools in the rural areas through mobile units, exhibitions and lab kits for experience.
The centre will also serve as platform for industrial training, field experience etc
