8th July, 2023
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili on Saturday said the three years ban placed on Miss Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is in order after she admitted she forged her UTME score.
Mmesoma had admitted that she in deed forged the 362 mark she claimed to have scored in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) after she initially denied she forged such.
JAMB had earlier slammed a three-year ban on her for forging her score and claiming to have scored the highest mark in this year’s UTME.
The committee set up by the Anambra State Government, in its report, found Mmesoma guilty of having forged her UTME score.
Reacting to this development on Saturday, Ezekwesili said she has just 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 center of perpetration of exam 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 exam malpractices within our educational system,” she said.
Ezekwesili also recommended sustained counseling for Mmesoma by the family, school and church to support her as she reflected 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 Exam Integrity in Nigeria as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s Values and Reward System for our children and youth.
“I wish to thank JAMB for their good work and encourage the Registrar and his team to continue with their critical service to our country and people as we all join them to sustain raising of awareness on Exam Integrity,” she stated.