Rising Student Absenteeism in Galamsey Towns: NAGRAT: The number of students in government schools who get themselves absent from class is always increasing in mining communities and from the perspective of the NAGRAT, this is the cause of illegal mining activities in those communities. Speaking on Citi Breakfast Show The president of the teacher union, Mr. Angel Carbonu said that students who reside in galamsey communities do not come to class regularly. Their absence affects teaching and learning negatively.
Rising Student Absenteeism in Galamsey Towns: NAGRAT
“Students are not even regular in schools in mining communities because they see that engaging in galamsey brings them immediate money than they can ever dream of as students and this is affecting teaching and learning in the schools,” he said. The president of the Association of Graduate Teachers President called on the government of Ghana to stop all small-scale mining activities. His concern was not only about the effect that illegal mining is having on teaching and learning but also the protection of water bodies and forests. He added that the government should call for the withdrawal of all machinery from the bushes, forest, and water bodies.
He also told the Host on the Citi Breakfast Show that to deter others from committing this crime, people engaging in those activities should be identified and punished according to the law.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has shown keen concern about this impediment and the members have joined the movement and are asking the government to also put an end to this. As in the case of Mr. Angel Carbonu, the association also urges the government to officially cancel Law 2462. They asked for the withdrawal of all mining and prospecting licenses in forests, protected reserves, and water bodies in the country.