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The World Bank will release the sum of N3.4 billion for the
activities of the nine centres of excellence selected by the country, for the
second component of the Science and Technology Education Post-Basic Project
(STEP-B) in Nigeria, which started in 2007.

STEP-B is the World Bank’s intervention programme targeted at
improving the quality of learning, teaching and research in the science and
technology sector. The first component of the programme focused on promoting
science education in secondary and research institutions in the country.

Now, nine of the institutions that performed creditably have
been qualified as centres of excellence, including two agencies of the Ministry
of Science and Technology and seven educational institutions.

Centres of excellence

Peter Materu, outgoing Task Team Leader for STEP-B at the World
Bank, visited Mohammed Abubakar, minister of science and technology on Tuesday
in Abuja and said Nigeria has performed moderately in implementing the project,
as shown by the emergence of the centres.

The outgoing leader said the success of the first component was
not without challenges, including inadequate data for evaluation of
implementation processes. “There was a slight delay in the disbursement of
funds, but that has been resolved and the fund will be flowing in the next few
days,” he said. “The total amount in that (second) component is $56 million for
the nine selected institutions.”

Responding, Mr Mohammed said the ministry will ensure that the
funding released is judiciously used.

Mr Materu has since handed over to Trajen Appassamy who resumed duty on
August 1 as Task Team Leader for STEP-B in Nigeria.