‘We’ve been vindicated’ — JAMB reacts to Anambra panel report on Mmesoma

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says some Nigerians used the controversy surrounding the result of Joy Mmesoma to denigrate the examination body.

JAMB said it will continue to adhere to the principles of fairness and equity without recourse to ethnicity and tribalism.

Fabian Benjamin, JAMB spokesperson, released a statement on Saturday after the Anambra panel of inquiry released its report on the matter.

He said the report has “vindicated” JAMB and has “further reinforced the position of the board that its system was not and cannot be compromised”.

BACKGROUND

In May, Mmesoma, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra made the headlines after she was purported to have scored 362 in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

However, JAMB alleged that she manipulated her result to “deceive the public to fraudulently obtain a scholarship and other recognitions”.

The examination body said she scored 249 — and not 362.

The incident elicited varied reactions on and off social media.

Owing to the development, the Anambra government set up a panel to look into the matter.

Earlier on Saturday, the panel said Mmesoma admitted to faking her result while recommending that the student should undergo counselling.

‘LESSONS FOR NIGERIANS’

In reaction, the examination body said Nigerians should learn to “appreciate the genuine efforts of their critical national institutions to chart the course of national rebirth”.

JAMB also appealed to well-meaning Nigerians not to be discouraged from awarding scholarships to deserving candidates.

“It is, therefore, highly regrettable that some Nigerians, who do not believe in the strength and resourcefulness of their nation’s institutions, would latch on to any opportunity to pull the board down to their level of perfidy,” the statement reads.

“One vital lesson that Nigerians should learn from the imbroglio, is to learn to appreciate the genuine efforts of their critical national institutions to chart the course of national rebirth.

“Hence, this attitude of attacking everything that makes the nation proud even by people who should know better, is disheartening.

“The flip side of this is to infer that some ethnic jingoists had perhaps been elevated to public office and recognition beyond their mental and emotional capacity.

“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 as we do not know tribe or religion.

“The public is assured of our unwavering commitment to upholding sanctity of the fabric of the nation’s educational system hence our resolve to always deliver credible and fair assessment remains unshaken.

“We appeal to all those well-meaning Nigerians, who may wish to support and encourage healthy competition by awarding scholarships and other honours to deserving candidates not to be discouraged but should always endeavour to verify from us any claim, no matter how innocuous, put forward by candidates.”