INYMI: Exceptional 16-Year-Old Nigerian Achieves Record-Breaking JAMB Score and Wins ₦2.5 Million Scholarship
Hailing from Anambra State, Umeh is a student of Deeper Life High School, Mowe, Ogun State. She attributes her remarkable success to a combination of factors, including her faith in God, hard work, discipline, and the unwavering support of her parents and teachers. Notably, this was her first attempt at taking the UTME.
AKACHI NOEL 
Umeh Kamsiyochukwu, a 16-year-old Nigerian girl, has etched her name in history by achieving a remarkable score of 360 out of 400 in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This score is the highest ever recorded in the UTME, and it has earned Umeh a ₦2.5 million scholarship from the Anambra State Government to pursue her studies in Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos.
Hailing from Anambra State, Umeh is a student of Deeper Life High School, Mowe, Ogun State. She attributes her remarkable success to a combination of factors, including her faith in God, hard work, discipline, and the unwavering support of her parents and teachers. Notably, this was her first attempt at taking the UTME.
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"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," Umeh shared in an interview.
Umeh's mother, Mrs. Umeh, also reflected on her daughter's remarkable achievement, highlighting how Umeh's academic excellence dates back to her primary school days at the University of Lagos Women Society College Nursery and Primary School. She acknowledged the role of Umeh's early education in providing a solid foundation for her future success.
Mrs. Umeh emphasized the importance of a holistic education, where academic achievement is balanced with life skills, including household chores, religious activities, and social interactions. She firmly believes that a well-rounded education equips children with the skills needed to thrive in various aspects of life.
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Umeh's passion for reading novels played a significant role in her choice of pursuing Chemical Engineering. She expressed her fascination with how chemicals interact and create new substances, inspired by the science fiction and fantasy novels she enjoys reading. Umeh's decision to study Chemical Engineering is driven by her desire to understand the world of chemicals and their transformative potential.
Umeh's achievement is even more exceptional when considering that the average score for the 2023 UTME was 159.21, according to JAMB. Out of over 1.3 million candidates who took the exam, only 168 scored above 300, with Umeh standing out as the sole candidate to surpass the 350 mark.
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Umeh's success serves as an inspiration for young girls aspiring to pursue careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Globally, only 35% of STEM students in higher education are women, and merely 3% choose ICT as a field of study, according to UNESCO. Umeh is a role model for those who aim to break gender-related barriers in STEM and emphasizes the potential of female students in these fields.
