Anambra State Government Sends UTME Forger, Mmesoma Ejikeme, for Psychotherapy and Counseling

The Anambra State Government has taken a compassionate approach in handling the case of 19-year-old Mmesoma Ejikeme, who forged her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result. The state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, revealed that Mmesoma has been handed over to a psychotherapist for a three-month guidance and counseling session.

Mmesoma, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Nnewi, faced public scrutiny after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exposed her for fraudulently inflating her UTME score to claim the top scorer position for 2023. Following the revelations, JAMB imposed a three-year ban on her.

Appearing before a panel of the House of Representatives in Abuja, Mmesoma tendered an apology to JAMB, seeking leniency. The Anambra State Government, through its investigation panel, recommended that the teenager undergo psychological counseling and therapy, considering her actions as “juvenile delinquency” that any child could fall victim to.

The state government’s decision to provide psychotherapy for Mmesoma aims to address the underlying issues and support her rehabilitation. After the three-month therapy, the government plans to appeal to JAMB management on her behalf, seeking reconsideration of certain aspects of her case.

The Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Chuma-Udeh, praised Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo for approving the psychotherapy class for Mmesoma, reflecting the state’s commitment to supporting the young girl in learning from her mistakes and becoming a better individual.