Examining Effect of Illegal Small-Scale Mining (Galamsey) on the Education of Junior High School Students in the Kibi Township

The objectives of the study are to examine the extent to which junior high school students engage in illegal small-scale mining activities in the Kibi Township, Ghana and determine the effects of illegal small-scale mining activities on the education of junior high school students in the Kibi Township, Ghana. The study was a descriptive survey. The researchers used the stratified random sampling procedure to sample sixty respondents from four junior high schools in the Kibi Township, Ghana for the study. A closed-ended questionnaire was developed and administered to gather data for the study. The data gathered were analysed using descriptive statistics. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that junior high school students in the Kibi Township to a very large extent engaged in illegal small-scale mining activities. Also, it can be concluded that although small-scale mining activities are mostly considered illegal, it gives students who engage in it the opportunity to save some few coins towards their education. The study recommends that head teachers of Junior High Schools in the Kibi Township through their Schools’ Management Committees (SMC) ensure that students are taken through professional counselling services for them to appreciate the need for formal education.