In response to the controversy surrounding the top scorer of the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Anambra State Government has established an inquiry panel.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, disclosed the formation of the panel in a statement released in Awka on Monday.
“A panel of inquiry has been set up to work with security agents to investigate the allegation of falsification of results leveled against Mmesoma Ejikeme, who had earlier been showcased in social media as having scored the highest”, she said.
The commissioner expressed deep concern over the controversy surrounding the girl’s purported result, considering it embarrassing, especially during Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s efforts to revitalize the education sector in Anambra.
Ejikeme, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School Uruagu in Nnewi, had initially been hailed for achieving the highest score of 362 in the 2023 UTME. However, JAMB later revealed that her reported result was fraudulent, as her actual score was 249.
In the meantime, the state government has officially recognized Nkechinyere Umeh, who was acknowledged by JAMB as the highest scorer nationwide, achieving a cumulative mark of 360 in the 2023 UTME.