…Distributes 80 Indigenous Science Kits to 80 Secondary Schools
By Ignatius Okorocha
The Federal government on Tuesday in Abuja threatened to ban importation of foreign science kits into the country,noting that such indulgent aggravates youth unemployment in Nigeria.
This is even as it has distributed a total of 80 locally made science kits to 40 schools in the country comprising senior and junior secondary schools drawn from the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
Speaking at the Training of Teachers/Distribution of Indigenous Science kits for secondary schools in Nigeria on Tuesday, Science and Technology Minister, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu said Nigerians continuous reliance on other countries for the nation’s science kits is no longer acçeptable.
According to the Minister, “What makes the situation painful is that many of the things that we import into the country, are derived from the abundant natural resources that are found everywhere in the country. This unacceptable situation aggravates unemployment, since massive importation denies the nation job creation.
“It has become necessary to educate Nigerians in such a way that they embrace the study of science and mathematics. We are convinced that by doing so in our schools, we can produce the necessary manpower needed to add value to abundant natural resources available in the country.”
Onu noted that it was in an effort to embrace the study of science and mathematics,that the federal government is making available to selected schools in the 36 states of the federation and FCT indigenous science kits to both Junior and Senior secondary schools.
“We are convinced that this will stimulate the interest and curiosity of young ones in the study of science and mathematics. The science kits that are being distributed, are locally produced by the Science Equipment Development Institute (SEDI),Enugu. The preference for indigenous science kits, is in line with the Presidential Executive Order no. 5,” he explained.
