Galamsey, Betting Driving Surge in Teenage School Dropouts in Northern Ghana – Eduwatch

Education policy think tank, Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), has raised fresh concerns over a worrying rise in school dropouts among adolescents in northern Ghana, linking the trend largely to illegal mining activities (galamsey) and sports betting.

According to Eduwatch, about 70 per cent out-of-school children aged between 12 and 17 in the northern regions are no longer in the classroom due to growing involvement in galamsey and betting-related activities. This marks a significant shift from earlier patterns identified in the 2021 Population and Housing Census, which showed that out-of-school children were predominantly within younger age groups.

Speaking on a media interview, Executive Director of Eduwatch, Kofi Asare, explained that recent findings suggest children are increasingly dropping out as they grow older, rather than failing to enroll at the basic level. “The data now shows that the older children get, the more likely they are to leave school, and about 70 per cent of the out-of-school population falls within the 12 to 17 age bracket. This contrasts sharply with the 2021 census, where most out-of-school children were much younger.”

Mr. Asare attributed the emerging pattern largely to economic temptations and social pressures, particularly in mining-prone and vulnerable communities. He cited galamsey activities, especially in areas such as Talensi, as a major pull factor, while betting has become an increasingly influential driver among adolescent boys. “Qualitative responses from communities point strongly to galamsey and betting as key reasons for school dropout, especially among boys between the ages of 12 and 17,” he added.

The revelations follow an extensive Out-of-School Children (OOSC) Census conducted by Eduwatch across 20 districts in northern Ghana. The exercise was designed to produce reliable, community-based data to better inform education policy, planning and targeted interventions.

Findings from the census indicate that boys account for the majority of out-of-school children, with particularly high numbers recorded in districts such as Chereponi, Nanumba South, Tatale Sanguli and Bawku West.

Eduwatch has called for urgent, multi-sectoral interventions to curb the trend and safeguard the educational future of children in affected communities.