By Praise Chinecherem
Someone once said, “It’s good to learn from your mistakes, but it’s far better to learn from other people’s mistakes.” In other words, one needs not experience an ugly scenario before one can learn.
Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme, the embattled student of Anglican Girls Secondary School Nnewi, Anambra State who inflated her score in the University Matriculation Tetiary Education (UMTE) has been on the news for over two weeks now. While still battling to survive a three-year ban slammed on her by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) which conducted the examination, the 8-member panel set up by the Anambra State Government to probe the forgery allegation against her released its report on Friday night, saying Mmesoma admitted to have manipulated her results unaided.
As if that was not enough, management of Innoson Group, which had earlier offered her a N3 million scholarship, withdrew same immediately following reports from the Soludo panel, while Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili who initially was making case for her, gave nod to the three years ban placed on the embattled student by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Moreover, Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo directed that Mmesomma be handed over to the State Guidance Counselor and Professor of Clinical Psychology where psychological counseling and therapy session would be conducted for her.
No doubt, controversies surrounding the ugly development might linger for a while, yet, there remains lots of lessons to draw from Mmesoma’s experience especially by parents, teachers, her fellow students and other stakeholders.
Prince Chris Azor, a Civil Society activist argued that Mmesoma might have been duped and misled by an organized syndicate as earlier alluded by the examination body JAMB, through its representative, Mr Fabian, stressing the need for thorough investigated by appropriate authorities so to unravel the mystery.
He said, “I’m unapologetically of the opinion that all have not been heard and done about this saga. The case must be thoroughly investigated by appropriate authorities so that we get to the bottom of it all.
“There’s the likelihood that Mmesoma might have been duped and misled by an organized syndicate. The Examination body JAMB, through their representative, one Mr Fabian, alluded to this fact when he admitted that there are syndicates that specialize in result upgrade – a tutorial group that often promise unsuspecting candidates of upgraded marks.
“That brings one to the need to dig deeper and unearth other accomplices and masterminds in the ignoble chain of criminality and malfeasance.
“There are also, obvious lessons to be learnt about competitiveness of admission to tertiary institutions, leading to desperation of applicants to make it at all costs. It has become a rat race of sort. The need has therefore, arisen to designate other bodies with similar functions and responsibilities.
“There’s also the issue of regarding acquisition of certificate as the only means to an end. Our curriculum needs to move away from just having degrees, to skills acquisition for desired productivity. The dichotomy between diploma and degree holders still persists, most unfortunately.
“The other lesson is on the role of peer pressure. Young people are easily influenced and manipulated by their peers and associates. Parents and guardians have a duty to be vigilant and inculcate discipline and civic values. We must avoid short cuts in life. The saying goes that if you follow short cut, your life will be cut short.
“The Government, Civil Society, Media, parents and guardians have big roles to play in orientation and sensitization. In public space, the whole episode was high on emotions and short on logic and reasoning. It goes to show how divided we are as a Nation, along ethnic, religious, social and political lines. There’s need for government to consciously engage in peace building, reorientation and national healing.”
A veteran journalist, Tony Okafor canvassed de-emphasising of top scorers by JAMB in their examinations, just as he cautioned individuals and organizations that were always in a hurry to celebrate and award scholarships to outstanding students without thorough verification and scrutiny.
He said, “I think the first solution to this mess is for JAMB and other examining bodies to stop making education capital of top scorers in their examinations. Over emphasis on this seeming feat causes schools, parents and students to struggle for it by all means possible, including by hook and crook.
“Examining bodies should just publish their examination results and let the public see whoever that is the highest scorer by publication and not by unnecessary emphasis, after all it’s clear that examination is not the true test of knowledge, especially multiple-choice or objective exams that are just based simply on the ability to recognise facts not on high cognitive performance.
“Those who jump at awarding scholarship in such circumstances should rethink. Scholarship schemes should be planned to give them better effects. It should not be a spur-of-the-moment arrangement.
“Again, admissions into higher institutions should be liberalised so that students will not be struggling to gain space in them. Perhaps, Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that still limits her willing citizens from getting educated because of lack of space.
“Above all, open and distance learning system of education should be encouraged and enhanced to widen the space for higher education for the citizenry.”
On his part, Prof. Dennis Aribodor, a Professor of Public Health Parasitologist and Public Affairs Analyst, said it was regrettable that today’s society remained such that celebrated success without hardwork, wealth without means, gain without pain, and crown without cross.
He underscored the need for parents and guardians to go back to drawing board of teaching their wards of numerous gains embedded in honesty, hard work and excellence.
He said, “Mmesoma’s case is a symptom of a society that does not recognise the means to an end but the end. Most leaders both political, religious, traditional and in various offices hardly uphold and reward the virtues of merit, hardwork, excellence, perseverance and due diligence.
“They pander to emotions self interest, opportunism, cronyism, nepotism and other primordial sentiments rather than being objective. The society unfortunately celebrates success without hardwork, wealth without means, gain without pain, and crown without cross.
“We need to go back to drawing board and teach our children that honesty pays, that there is dignity in hard work and reward excellence. We should not only teach but demonstrate it in our daily actions thus practising what we preach.
“That is the only way to stop future Mmesomas. The child just reflected the decay in our society and should be psychological re-turned to be a positive change agent.”
Ultimately, Mmesoma saga has again unveiled not only the importance of national unity and critical thinking but the urgency to tackle fraudulent activities that plague the education system.
