The excessive focus on academic qualifications as a measure of success globally has led individuals to resort to fraudulent practices to acquire certificates. The pressure to achieve high scores in exams, driven by aspirations for desired university courses and parental expectations, has pushed some candidates to falsify their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results. These culprits, apprehended by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), have confessed to engaging with examination syndicates that specialize in fake result upgrades.
In a recent case, Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme, a student from Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra, claimed to have scored 362 in the 2023 UTME. However, JAMB accused her of manipulating her score from 249 to 362. Miss Mmesoma and JAMB have engaged in a dispute over the authenticity of her claimed score. JAMB, stating that Miss Mmesoma’s result slip was in an outdated format, withdrew her 249 score and suspended her from taking examinations for the next three years.
Miss Mmesoma defended herself, stating that she obtained the result slip from the JAMB portal and claimed that it was not her fault that it appeared fake. However, investigations have indicated that the operators of the portal she used to print the result slip are currently on the run, with security agencies pursuing them.
JAMB spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, clarified that the incident gained attention due to Miss Mmesoma persistently asserting the authenticity of her forged result, despite substantial evidence proving otherwise. He also highlighted the prevalence of software available online that allows individuals to create fake JAMB results for amusement, which do not reflect the actual database of JAMB.
Mr. Osita Chidoka, the owner of the CBT Centre where Miss Mmesoma took the exam, also expressed doubts about the authenticity of her paraded result. He pointed out discrepancies in the examination centre’s name and the result slip template, further raising suspicion.
JAMB has expressed its intention to consider prosecuting those involved in forging UTME results, including candidates like Miss Mmesoma and another candidate named Atung Gerald, who never participated in the exam but forged a result for himself.
The culprits apprehended by JAMB for involvement in fake result upgrades have confessed to their acts. They have admitted to engaging with syndicates and paying significant amounts of money to alter their scores. JAMB has withdrawn and invalidated the results of these individuals.
JAMB intends to prosecute those involved in the fraudulent practices, aiming to deter future instances of faked results. The Board has emphasized that it will not overlook cases like that of Miss Mmesoma or Atung Gerald.
In summary, the intense focus on academic qualifications and the desire for favorable results have driven some individuals to manipulate their UTME scores through illegal means. JAMB, along with relevant security agencies, is working to expose and prosecute those involved in such activities to ensure the integrity of the examination process.
