Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, expressed her support for the punitive actions taken by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) against Miss Mmesomma Ejikeme. An investigative panel found Mmesomma guilty of forging the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and falsely claiming to have achieved the highest score of 362.
In a statement posted on her verified Twitter account, Dr. Ezekwesili stated that her decision was based on the report of the independent committee appointed by the Anambra State Government to investigate the Mmesomma and JAMB saga. She commended the committee for conducting a fair investigation and gathering all the relevant facts.
Dr. Ezekwesili emphasized the need for independent evidence to confirm that Mmesomma’s claimed result was not only fake but also personally orchestrated by her. She acknowledged that while syndicates are typically involved in examination malpractices, this did not appear to be the case with Mmesomma.
The former Minister highlighted the consequences of Mmesomma’s actions and expressed her support for the sanctions imposed by JAMB as a deterrent to others involved in examination malpractice. She recommended ongoing counseling and support for Mmesomma from her family, school, and church to help her reflect on this incident and make a commitment to honesty and hard work in the future.
Dr. Ezekwesili urged all stakeholders, including students, parents, guardians, and the public, to collectively uphold examination integrity as a fundamental value in Nigeria’s education system. She commended JAMB for their efforts in maintaining exam integrity and encouraged them to continue raising awareness on the importance of honest examinations.
In conclusion, Dr. Ezekwesili expressed gratitude to JAMB for their diligent work and encouraged the Registrar and his team to continue their critical service to Nigeria. She called for a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to preserve the integrity of examinations as a core element of Nigeria’s educational values and rewards for the younger generation.