A concerning pattern is developing in the Talensi District of Ghana’s Upper East Region, where more girls aged 13 to 16 are leaving school to live with illegal miners, taking on household responsibilities similar to those in marriage.
A report compiled by Asaase News indicates that education authorities are sounding alarms as school enrollment and attendance, particularly in Junior High Schools, are experiencing a significant decline in areas impacted by galamsey.
“These girls are cohabiting with young boys and older miners at the sites, cooking, cleaning, and in many cases, becoming pregnant,” said Christiana Azure Ayinzoya, Talensi’s District Director of Education, in an interview with Asaase News.
“By the time we trace some of them, they are already pregnant or have dropped out completely.”
Boys are likewise leaving classrooms to pursue fast cash in the mines, frequently vanishing after enrolling for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), only to be disqualified afterwards because of absenteeism.
In 2023, seven girls took the BECE examination during their pregnancy. Although Ghana’s re-entry policy permits pregnant students to go back to school, numerous individuals never return due to challenges like low attendance, academic struggles, and the appeal of mining earnings.
Efforts to retrieve these children from mining camps have been slow and complex. “Sometimes we negotiate with the men they’re living with,” Ayinzoya revealed. “We just want them back in school.”
Even when some girls return, the impact of lost classroom time lingers. “We register them for exams, but many are unprepared. They’ve spent the year in mining pits, not in school,” she added.
A disturbing trend is emerging in the Talensi District of Ghana’s Upper East Region, where increasing numbers of girls aged 13 to 16 are abandoning school to cohabit with illegal miners, performing domestic duties akin to marriage.
According to a report put together by Asaase News, Education officials are raising red flags as school enrollment and attendance, especially at the Junior High School level, continue to fall sharply in galamsey-affected areas.
“These girls are cohabiting with young boys and older miners at the sites, cooking, cleaning, and in many cases, becoming pregnant,” said Christiana Azure Ayinzoya, Talensi’s District Director of Education, in an interview with Asaase News.
“By the time we trace some of them, they are already pregnant or have dropped out completely.”
Boys are also abandoning classrooms to chase quick money in the mines, often disappearing after registering for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), only to be disqualified later due to absenteeism.
In 2023 alone, seven girls wrote the BECE while pregnant. Though Ghana’s re-entry policy allows pregnant students to return to school, many never do, overwhelmed by poor attendance, academic setbacks, and the allure of mining income.
Efforts to retrieve these children from mining camps have been slow and complex. “Sometimes we negotiate with the men they’re living with,” Ayinzoya revealed. “We just want them back in school.”
Even when some girls return, the impact of lost classroom time lingers. “We register them for exams, but many are unprepared. They’ve spent the year in mining pits, not in school,” she added
Talensi’s academic results demonstrate this challenge—while the BECE pass rate rose from 26 to 46 percent during Ayinzoya’s tenure, it still falls short of 50.
Family dynamics are changing as well. Certain children come back home with money and food earned from mining jobs, challenging parental authority.
“They bring noodles and money. Parents can’t compete,” she noted. “Discipline is collapsing, and poverty is robbing families of control.”
Ayinzoya cautions that although illegal mining might provide short-term benefits, it deprives children of enduring chances.
“Gold doesn’t reproduce. Education is the only investment that never expires.”
She is urging immediate measures—from addressing illegal mining to enhancing community and parental assistance—to avert a generational crisis in Talensi.
credit:mynewsgh
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