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.
One of the competitions that changed her life was the Annual National Mathematics Competition (ANMC) organized by the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC), a 21st-century educational hub focusing on primary to secondary education development, using Nigerian and British Curricula. Chioma sat for the ANMC and was awarded a scholarship by NTIC into their girls’ section in 2016. This opened a new chapter for her academic excellence, as she was exposed to quality education and opportunities.
While at NTIC, Chioma applied for scholarships to universities abroad and received positive responses from both Toronto University and Long Island University. She secured a scholarship worth CAD140,000 ($109,000) to Toronto University, Canada, and another USD152,000 ($152,000) to Long Island University, USA. She also received admission offers from other universities such as Howard University, Drexel University, Temple University, and Hofstra University.
Chioma’s achievements are remarkable and inspiring, especially considering the challenges that many Nigerian students face in accessing quality education and opportunities. She is a role model for other young Nigerians who aspire to excel academically and make a positive impact on society. She hopes to study medicine and become a neurosurgeon in the future.
Umeh Kamsiyochukwu is another 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. Click here to continue reading about Umeh.
