Illegal miners have invaded the Pankese M/A Junior High school (JHS) in the Birim North Assembly of the Eastern region.
The illegal miners have taken over almost all the lands that have been reserved by the school for farming purposes and are now digging close to the school.
The mining activities are close to the school compound as part of the school land has been invaded.
The situation is hugely affecting teaching and learning as well as endangering the lives of the students.
The Headmaster of Pankese M/A Junior High school, Prince Amoako in an interview with Onua News said some of the pupils are also involved in the illegal mining activities.
He said the pupils go to the sites after school but all efforts to halt these operations have been fruitless.
Mr. Amoako said some of the children even ran away from school and engage in the illegal mining activities also known as ‘galamsey’.
“The school land which has been reserved for agricultural practicals has been taken over by these illegal miners. The mining is affecting the school and we urge authorities to come in and salvage the situation,” lamented the headmaster.
The School Management Committee Chairman, Noah Addo, was worried about the danger the situation poses to the school.
He said the school urinal has been demolished and the promise to rebuild has not been done. “We didn’t want the children to get involved in this illegal mining but now that it is closer to the school, they will have no option than to indulge in it.”
The School Improvement Support Officer, Bismarck Afrifa Gyasi, said they had plan to fence the school to prevent the children from moving out during school hours.
“Galamsey is rampant here and that is what is affecting education at Pankese,” he said.
By Kweku Antwi-Otoo
