Institutions across the country have been called upon by Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), to adopt the Oloyede model as a means to eliminate exam malpractice, following the recent Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma incident.
Professor Okebukola emphasized the need for educational institutions to recognize the effectiveness of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Oloyede, in upholding the integrity of JAMB-conducted exams.
Mmesoma, who initially claimed to have scored 362 in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exam (UTME), was later exposed by JAMB for manipulating her result from the actual score of 249. This revelation sparked public reactions.
After being presented with undeniable evidence, the 19-year-old candidate from Anambra state eventually admitted that her actual score, as confirmed by a text message from the Board, was indeed 249.
In a statement released on Thursday in Abuja, Professor Okebukola, who currently serves as the immediate Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, stated, “This incident confirms that Professor Oloyede and his capable team at JAMB are way ahead of such unscrupulous individuals.”
The statement further added, “I encourage all educational institutions and examination bodies to adopt and adapt the Oloyede model and techniques to eradicate exam malpractice in both school and public exams.”
Professor Oloyede’s commitment to the publication of unadulterated results and the admission of qualified candidates into tertiary institutions based on available vacancies is highly commendable. However, he will not hesitate to penalize any candidate or examination center that tarnishes JAMB’s reputation.
During the 2023 Policy Meeting of JAMB on June 24, Professor Is-haq Oloyede presented case studies highlighting the extent to which candidates and some examination centers resort to cheating in order to obtain high scores. These examples served as a wake-up call to potential UTME cheats, reminding them that Professor Oloyede and his team are always steps ahead of such unscrupulous individuals.