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• Ezekwesili backs JAMB’s sanction
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
A committee set up by Anambra State government has found Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme guilty of faking Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result in which she claimed to had secured the highest score in the 2023 UTME.
Report of the investigation committee which was made public on Friday, indicated that everyone involved in the incident was invited to make a presentation regarding the matter to enable the committee take a decision on the matter.
At the meeting, JAMB representative, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, made a detailed presentation to justify their position that Mmesoma’s result was fake and forged as against her insistence that the result was authentic.
Report of the committee further indicated that JAMB revealed the different times Mmesoma made requests to JAMB portal asking for her results at different hours, and on each of the times (four in number), she received in her phone, same results from JAMB indicating the candidate’s UTME results to with: Eng: 64, Phy:54, Bio: 74, Che: 57 with a total aggregate score of 249.
JAMB disclosed that the candidate was well informed of her correct score from JAMB, but she sent a request to JAMB with a different registration number showing a UTME result of aggregate score of 362, with Eng: 98, Phy: 89, Bio: 94, and Che: 81, adding that the results she sent differed substantially from the standard JAMB format where she got an appropriate rebuttal stating her real score of 249.
Besides, a number of red-flags were also highlighted by JAMB officials showing a different date of birth, different registration number, notification of results template that had been discarded since 2021, amongst others.
It was also evident that even the centre name “Nkemefuna Foundation (Thomas Chidoka Centre for Human Development as it was known before now) used for the examination was also manipulated where the candidate used the old name of the centre (Thomas Chidoka Centre for Human Development) in her own manipulated result sheet.
In Mmesoma’s submission, she owned up in the presence of her school principal, and the Education Secretary that the narration by the JAMB officials was true and correct description of what transpired.
She also admitted to have given a manipulated result by herself unaided, using same Airtel number. According to her, she proceeded to the cybercafé (Prisca Global Computers, Uruagu, Nnewi) where she printed the results she had manipulated.
The Committee said it had tried to find out from her the motive behind her action, but she insisted that no motive was behind it.
In their own submissions, the principal, Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu, Nnewi, and the Education Secretary, Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) expressed shock at what transpired.
The Committee, however, confirmed that Mmesomma’s UTME result was 249 as against the 362 she claimed.
The Committee asked Mmesomma to immediately tender an unreserved written apology to JAMB, the school (Anglican Girls’ Secondary School Uruagu, Nnewi) and the Anambra State Government.
The Committee also suggested that Mmesomma should undergo a psychological counselling and therapy.
Meanwhile, former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, said on Saturday, that she was in support of whatever punitive decision JAMB would met out to Mmesomma after an investigative panel found her guilty of forging the 2023 UTME.
Dr. Ezekwesili in a statement posted on her verified twitter handle, said her decision followed the report of the panel which found her guilty of forging her UTME result and claiming that she scored 362.
The statement reads: “I have read the report of the Committee set up by Anambra State Government to investigate and report their independent findings on the Mmesoma and JAMB saga. I am satisfied with the process and findings of their investigation which gave Mmesoma fair hearing to enable the Committee gather all facts.
“It was necessary to have independent evidence that the result Mmesoma laid claim to publicly was not only fake but that the forgery was personally orchestrated by her.
“There are usually syndicates at the centre of perpetration of examination malpractices in Nigeria, but it appears not to be so in Mmesoma’s case from the facts of the Committee’s report.
“Mmesoma’s action has consequences. I, therefore, support the sanctions imposed by JAMB as a deterrent to all who participate in the systemic examination malpractices within our educational system.
“I also recommend sustained counseling for Mmesoma by the family, school and church to support her as she reflects on this tragic episode and make a decision to embrace values and rewards of effort while eschewing dishonest gain for the rest of her life.
“I do hope that the lessons of this case will help all our pupils, students, parents, guardians and the public at large renew a collective commitment to uphold examination integrity in Nigeria as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s values and reward system for our children and youth.”
She thanked JAMB for their good work and encouraged the registrar and his team to continue with their critical service to Nigeria and people, and asked them to sustain raising of awareness on exam integrity.
JAMB on it part, said it had been vindicated by the report of the panel of inquiry set up by Anambra State government.
Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the acting Director, Public Affairs and Protocol of JAMB, in a statement, on Saturday, appreciated the Anambra State government and the investigation committee for the thorough job that gave justice to all and the outcome that confirmed that Miss Mmesomma faked her UTME result.
He said: “The report of the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Anambra State Government, an independent and unbiased body, as demanded by some Nigerians to look into the Mmesoma saga, has vindicated the Board. This has further reinforced the position of the Board that its system was not and cannot be compromised.
“JAMB has built a reputation in terms of the conduct of credible examinations over the years and cannot afford to fail the nation at this critical juncture of its development. We will not despair in spite of the painful realisation that some Nigerians would do anything to cast aspersions on the good name of the Board.
“However, in spite of all the posturing of detractors, JAMB remains resolute and uncompromising in its commitment to give Nigeria the best as far as credible and fair assessment is concerned.
“Mmesoma has owned up to committing the heinous infraction which was carefully crafted to destroy the very foundation of one of the nation’s agencies charged with the critical role of apportioning the limited educational resource of the nation based on fairness equity and integrity.”
He promised that the Board would continue to be guided by the principles of inclusiveness and fairness as demonstrated by its seamless and unprompted deployment of a dedicated software called the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), which not only eliminates human interference in the admission process, but also engenders equity, fairness, transparency to all irrespective of tribe or religion.
He commended Anambra State Government for its patriotic and unbiased posture all through the period of the national challenge, and congratulated Miss Umeh Kamsiyochukwu Nkechinyere who emerged as the best scorer in the 2023 UTME exercise.
