The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) have expressed worry about the devastating impact of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, on education.

CHASS particularly noted the involvement of students in the galamsey activities at the expense of their education and the degradation of school lands.

If the menace is unchecked, CHASS said "it could have dire consequences for the nation's future."

"We join the national call for urgent and decisive action to curb this threat," CHASS stated.

This forms part of a communiqué issued by CHASS after their 63rd Annual National Conference, held from October 6 to 12, 2025, at the auditorium of the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani, Bono Region.

The conference was on the theme: "Ensuring Comprehensive, Equitable and Sustainable Secondary Education in Ghana – The Role of Stakeholders".

It was a platform where the heads considered critical issues within the nation's educational subsector and acknowledged that the future of education is in their hands.

Though they also reaffirmed their commitment to improving the quality of secondary education in Ghana, they also pointed to 14 concerns that require urgent attention from the government and other stakeholders.

Among the concerns are financial constraints that place an overwhelming burden on School Heads, with a call on the Government to "release funds without further delay to alleviate the dire situation".

"The sudden reversal of the decentralised food procurement system concerned CHASS, such that they request the permission to procure, at least, the six staple grains as agreed earlier to ensure the timely, adequate and quality supply of food items

CHASS also expressed a deep concern about the increasing incidence of student indiscipline, with a call for "the recruitment of trained security personnel for all Senior High Schools and recommend the establishment of a dedicated security unit under the Ghana Police Service to handle school-related security matters".

"We are equally concerned about rising cases of teacher indiscipline and professional misconduct, particularly inappropriate relationships between teachers and students," the statement said, adding that appropriate sanctions be applied as prescribed by the Code of Conduct for Teachers, with an assurance of their commitment to ensure the safety and protection of all students.

Other concerns by CHASS included the growing menace of examination malpractice; the acute shortage of furniture in classrooms, dining halls, assembly halls, and offices; the continued use of prepaid electricity meters; abandoned projects and the non-payment of intervention funds since 2024; and acute shortages of non-teaching staff.

They called on the government for immediate intervention to resolve the issues.

The communique, signed by the secretary of CHASS, Baro Primus, also acknowledged some actions and policy directions of the government in helping to improve education in Ghana.

Some are:

1. We express our sincere appreciation to the Government of Ghana for its continuous efforts to enhance Senior High School Education, particularly through the implementation of the Free SHS policy.
2. We acknowledge the significant budgetary demands of this policy and the resulting implications for other national priorities.
3. We commend the government for its steadfast resolve to ensure that quality secondary education is accessible to every Ghanaian child, regardless of socioeconomic background.
4. CHASS warmly acknowledges the government's initiative to establish a dedicated fund for the Free SHS Programme through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), which will ensure regular and timely disbursement of funds to schools.
5. We further welcome the government's decision to reinstate Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in all schools, thereby strengthening stakeholder participation in the educational value chain.
6. Again, the government's determination to separate "post" from "rank" in the Ghana Education Service to allow teachers to progress beyond the rank of Deputy Director is highly commendable.
7. CHASS strongly supports the Ministry of Education's policy to transition all schools to a unified single-track calendar by the 2027/2028 academic year. This will facilitate effective planning of school programmes and guarantee adequate instructional hours to ensure quality education
8. We further acknowledge and appreciate the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, particularly the Hon. Minister for Education and his deputy, the Director-General of the GES, and his team, for their humility, openness to engagement, and the mutual respect that characterises our collaboration.
9. CHASS commends the Hon. Minister for Education for his assurance, in principle, to decentralise the procurement of certain food items for schools.

CHASS reaffirmed its untiring commitment to implementing the policies and initiatives of the government to improve secondary education in Ghana and upholding the highest standards of discipline in our public Senior High and Senior High Technical Schools