Steer Town Academy principal defends school’s integrity
Published:Friday | January 6, 2023 | 1:50 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
There was a groundswell of support among parents for Steer Town Academy Principal Omar Mongal on Thursday as a probe looms over alleged cheating at the school in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams last year.
The Overseas Examination Commission (OEC) is investigating allegations that some students were reportedly given exam papers before the sitting of the examinations, following the school’s improved passes in some subjects, including mathematics and in music, results of the latter subject placing the school above all Caribbean counterparts.
Mongal has maintained, however, that there is nothing to hide.
On Thursday, parents turned out for a parent-teacher association (PTA) meeting and to collect their children’s reports. They expressed support for the principal, who has been credited for turning around the school both academically and in reputation.
Mongal declined to discuss the allegations in detail, but insisted that the school’s integrity remains intact.
“... We discussed [the announced investigation], nothing untoward, nothing extravagant. We just had a mild discussion,” he said after the PTA meeting.
Questioned about the allegations of cheating, Mongal said: “There’s not much I can say about it. It’s an allegation, and we do know that persons are free to make allegations as they see fit, but, at the end of the day, you must ensure that, whatever comes out, you are in the clear. To the best of my knowledge, there was nothing untoward [about the exams].”
The headmaster said that the passes last year were fewer than those in 2019 when the school saw its best performance in the regional exams. However, 2022’s passes were of better quality, meaning more grade one and two passes and fewer grade threes.
He said the improvement in the quality of the passes was as a result of deliberate attempts by the school’s administration to achieve better results, including more face-to-face time between teachers and students.
“I believe that the children’s education is paramount and so I look forward to the children’s education being continued undisturbed in any way,” he told The Gleaner.
While acknowledging the support of parents, some of who have vowed that, come next week, there would be no school if he is not the principal, Mongal sought to downplay any chance of disturbance at the school on Monday.
Several parents left the meeting on Thursday with chants of “No Mongal, no school,” and “Mr Mongal we seh!”
Rohan Thompson, one of the parents, said he appreciates and loves the way Mongal has positively impacted that school.
“From me know this school, people used to call it IGL (because of the two shades of blue uniform) and now it change over (new purple and grey uniform) that they can call it Steer Town Academy, and I appreciate being here at this meeting to represent my son,” he told The Gleaner. “He’s been here five years now. I love my principal. I am in support of him.”