Umeh Kamsiyochukwu is a 16-year-old Nigerian girl who has made history by scoring 360 out of 400 in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the highest mark ever recorded in the exam. She also won a ₦2.5 million scholarship from the Anambra State Government to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos.
Umeh, who hails from Anambra State, is a student of Deeper Life High School, Mowe, Ogun State. She attributed her success to God, hard work, discipline and the support of her parents and teachers. She also revealed that it was her first time taking the UTME.
“I never aimed to be the highest scorer; everyone wants to be the best. I feel very excited and grateful to all my supporters and encouragers,” she said in an interview with Vanguard News .
Umeh’s mother, Mrs. Umeh, also shared her thoughts on her daughter’s success. She highlighted Umeh’s consistent excellence, dating back to her primary school days at the University of Lagos Women Society College Nursery and Primary School.
“The school provided an excellent foundation for her. In fact, at one point, I decided that all my children should attend that school because of the solid foundation it offers,” she said.
Mrs. Umeh also said that she balanced Umeh’s academic pursuits with other aspects of life, such as household chores, religious activities and social skills.
“I believe that a child’s success should be holistic, not just limited to academics. I tell her that she must know how to cook, how to handle various tasks. A woman should be capable in all areas, not just academics,” she said.
Umeh’s passion for reading novels also influenced her choice of course. She said she wanted to study Chemical Engineering because she was fascinated by how chemicals interact and create new things.
“I love reading novels, especially science fiction and fantasy. I like how authors create new worlds and characters with different abilities and powers. I also like how they use science and technology to explain their stories. That’s why I chose Chemical Engineering, because I want to learn more about how chemicals work and what they can do,” she said.
Umeh’s achievement is remarkable considering that the average score for UTME in 2023 was 159.21, according to JAMB . Out of the 1,338,687 candidates who sat for the exam, only 168 scored above 300 . Umeh was the only one who scored above 350.
Umeh’s achievement is also inspiring for young girls who aspire to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). According to UNESCO , only 35% of STEM students in higher education globally are women, and only 3% of female students choose information and communication technology (ICT) as a field of study.
Umeh is a role model for young girls who want to break the barriers and stereotypes that limit their potential in STEM fields. She is also a testament to the quality of education in Nigeria, despite the challenges of inadequate infrastructure, funding and resources.
Umeh deserves to be celebrated for her exceptional performance and potential. She has shown that with determination, hard work and support, anything is possible. She has also shown that Nigerian youths are capable of achieving greatness and making positive impacts in the world.
Chioma Opara: Nigerian Teen Achieves Flawless 9As in WAEC and Impressive 345 in JAMB, Secures Over $300,000 in Scholarships
Chioma Opara is a 16-year-old Nigerian girl who has made her country proud by excelling in both local and international examinations. She scored 9As in the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and 345 in Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), two of the most important exams for secondary school leavers in Nigeria. Her outstanding performance earned her scholarships worth over $300,000 to two prestigious universities abroad: Toronto University in Canada and Long Island University in the United States.
Chioma, who hails from Imo state, is the last of four children of her parents. She has always been an extraordinarily brilliant student right from a young age. She was enrolled in high school at the age of 8 and graduated top of her class with several medals and awards in the 2022/2023 academic session. She also participated in local and international competitions and won awards in most of them. Read more on Chioma’s academic exploits here.