Despite mass failure by many candidates, the High School of King’s Kids Christian Schools, a frontline secondary in Akwa Ibom State, has excelled in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results released recently.
In the examination conducted by Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB), the school located along Ben Udo, Ewet Housing Estate in Uyo metropolis recorded 100 per cent success.
Briefing journalists in the school premises on Monday, July 12, the school’s Principal, Mrs Esther-Queen Anyanwu said the students recorded 100 per cent success, scoring above 200 marks required for admission usually by the Nigerian universities.
Recall that the JAMB confirmed that the performance of candidates in this year’s UTME was poorer than what it recorded within the past three years or thereabouts.
The JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, confirmed this while appearing on a live programme on a Nigerian Television Authority’s (NTA) programme tagged ”Weekend File.”
Mr Oloyede, who blamed the development on the truncation of academic calendar due to the rampaging coronavirus pandemic, also listed what he described as peculiar environmental factors in Nigeria such as insecurity, among others.
”Last year, we also recorded 100 per cent success in the examination. Our students after WASCE and NECO examinations will be qualified to gain admission into top-notch universities such as Covenant, Afe Babalola, Backcock Universities, University of Uyo and others in the country,’’ Anyanwu stated.
The Director/Head of Schools, King’s Kids Christian Schools, Professor Etim I. Udoessien lauded the academic feat performed by the students.
Udoessien said the school is poised to produce academic marshals who will take the centre-stage at the global space, attributed the success to experienced teachers who impact positively on the students.
‘’Our students have acquired academic depth and are able to compete with other students in the global community. We give our students what it takes, but we do not assist them to pass examinations,’’ the director said.
According to him, ‘’We believe this academic feat will encourage some parents to send their children and wards to this school to get better results they can defend in the labour market. We can vouch that there is no substitute for our academic citadel.’’
The Consultant of Kings Kids Schools, Dr. (Mrs) Cecilia Udoessien said the school believes in quality education and urged the government to stamp out examination malpractices in the school system. Without this, graduates will pass out, yet they cannot write mere application letters. We practice academic excellence and want our students to be known for it.
‘’It is our belief that school should not pass through students, but that they should pass through school. Nobody should assist the students to pass their exams. At times, some examiners when they come here are always shocked to see how our students write exams by themselves without any assistance from the teachers,’’ the former Head of Civil Service said.
The school which has Cambridge approved examination was established in September 2016 with boarding facilities.