Government partners The Vatican, builds science centre in Imo

The Federal Government has entered into partnership with The Vatican in the area of science education development in Africa. In order to actualise this, the two countries have concluded arrangement on the establishment of a multi million naira International Science Centre in the Southeast geo- political zone.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu who disclosed this during his on the tour assessment of the facility said the commissioning would take place soon.

According to him, the institution will admit students from other parts of the world who would be taught Chemistry, with complementary subject areas in Biology, Physics and Mathematics, adding that a well-constituted board would be in place to set the criteria for the admission process.

‘’We are looking for very best students from all over Africa on merit. That’s how it used to be and we are bringing it back to Nigeria. We are working hard to ensure that we bring back merit, such that when people know that when you work hard you achieve a lot. We believe in importance of hard work. That is what this school will accomplish.’’

Onu while pointing out that the project was inherited by President Mohammadu Buhari administration assured that it would be of international standards.

‘’We are impressed that our young people are interested in embracing science and technology. The Federal Government entered into relationship with the Vatican. This school will serve African children, boys and girls from all African countries because the Vatican did a study and discovered that the difference between developed and developing countries is the level of science and technology a country embraces.

“If they can get young Africans, the study of science and technology will help develop Africa; that will create jobs, wealth, fight poverty and diseases; President Muhammadu Buhari inherited this project. As a minister of Science and Technology, I insisted that it must be completed.

The minister further announced plans by the government to replicate the project in other five geo – political zones.

‘’What we intend to do is to spread it to the six geo – political zones. We will definitely want this to go to all the other zones.