ST ANN, Jamaica — It appears to be business as usual at Steer Town Academy in St Ann on Monday morning with students and members of staff milling about for the first day of the school term.

Principal Omar Mongal, who the Ministry of Education advised to stay off the job to facilitate an investigation into alleged irregularities during last year’s CSEC exams, was among those at work.

READ: Steer Town Academy principal defends school’s integrity

He could be heard over the school’s intercom providing words of encouragement to his school family as they embark on the new school term.

Alecia Riley, a parent at the institution, told OBSERVER ONLINE that she was ecstatic about taking her son Davian Barry to school on his first day.

“This morning, I heard that school wasn’t keeping because of the whole situation that is happening now. But, I still came and I feel good when I came and see that school was in session because my son is just starting in grade seven and he was excited,” she said.

Last week, Mongal told the OBSERVER ONLINE that classes would proceed as normal today despite a directive for him and four teachers to go on leave.

The Overseas Examinations Council (OEC) has launched a probe, ostensibly triggered by the school’s unexpectedly impressive showing in the May to June 2022 sitting of exams for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).

However, Mongal has maintained the results were solely the fruit of dedication and hard work.