By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

A panel set up by the Anambra State Government to look into the controversy surrounded the JAMB result of Miss Mmesoma Joy Ejikeme released its report this Saturday morning, July 8, 2023, indicting the 19-year-old of committing the crime of forgery unassisted.

The panel in its recommendation said that Ejikeme should tender unreserved written apology to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the School, Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu Nnewi, and the Anambra State Government.

While saying that the apology should be tendered immediately, the report added, "EJikeme Joy Mmesoma should undergo a psychological counselling and therapy.

It also said that all prospective candidates for JAMB should adhere strictly to guidelines processes and procedures of the examination body”.

The full Report Of The Committee On Mmesoma Joy Ejikeme JAMB scire controversy said,

"Recall Mr. Governor that with the recent release of scores of candidates who applied for admission by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and subsequent announcement of Nkechiyere Umeh as the candidate with the highest score of 360, Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma, a 19 year old student of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu Nnewi, from Enugu State, protested to the State Government that she scored 362 and ought to have been so recognised.

This has elicited interests and generated serious controversy and misgivings among the general public that the State Government in its wisdom decided to constitute a Committee of Inquiry to look into the underlisted terms of reference.

Review Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma’s JAMB Results and associated documents

Conduct interviews with relevant parties, including Ejikeme JoyMmesoma, JAMB Officials and any other individual(s) involved in the

Ill. Provide recommendations basE:d on the findings of the investigation.

"The Committee invited Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma, the Principal of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, and officials of JAMB for interactive session with the Committee. JAMB officials led by Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the Head Public Affairs presented the detailed processes and procedures involved in JAMB admissions, the policy changes that have occurred in the release of UTME scores since 2021 and what spe.cifically transpired between the candidate – Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma with registration number: 20230639047FF in her quest to obtain her JAMB score.

"JAMB revealed the different times that Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma made several requests to JAMB portal asking for her results at different hours, and each of these times (four in number), she received in her phone, same results from JAMB indicating candidate’s UTME Results to wit: 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. Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma had 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. 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 was also highlighted by JAMB officials showing a different date of birth, different Registration Number, Notification of results template that has 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 Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma’s submission, she owned up in the presence of her principal, and the Education Secretary that the narration by the JAMB officials was a true and correct description of what transpired. She also admitted to have given a manipulated result by herself unaided, using same phone Airtel Number. According to her, she proceeded to the cybercafe (Prisca Global Computers, Uruagu, Nnewi) where she printed the results she had manipulated.

"The Committee tried to find out the motive behind her action, but Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma said NOTHING. 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 where in their presence, Mmesoma admitted to have manipulated her UTME results, deceiving the school, her immediate family and the State Government.

The Committee's Findings read:

"The results released by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) with respect to the UTME score of Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma is 249

"The results paraded by Ej1keme Joy Mmesoma with aggregate score of 362 1s fake as buttressed by the very s1gn1f1cant and instructive variations in the registration number, date of birth, centre name and other

Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma admitted that she manipulated the fake results herself, usingher

"The Principal Anglican Girls’ Secondary School – Mrs. Edu Uche and the Education Secretary, Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) expressed dismay at the conduct of Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma.

Recommendations:

Conclusion:

“The Committee of Inquiry commends Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for their diligent handling of the matter and the information supplied about the interface with the candidate (see attached). We hope that this unearthing of the truth as we have discovered will go a long way in correcting the sentiments, misconceptions and deceptions that have been in the public domain.

“Finally, we thank Mr. Governor for setting up this Committee, and, for the confidence reposed in the committee.”

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