$15m BEAM facility to benefit 50 000 learners

Schools play a critical role to educate, model and transform such a community

Kariba Bureau

GOVERNMENT has released about $15 million to assist 50 000 learners from Mashonaland West Province under the Basic Education Assistance Model (BEAM).

Of the 50 000 learners about 36 000 are in primary school and 13 860 are in secondary school. The money has since been deposited into individual school accounts and there were concerns that the money was losing value in the bank as some school heads have not taken steps to invest it.

Mashonaland West provincial education director Mr Gabriel Mhuma said some enterprising schools have already invested the money into viable Covid-19 response projects.

“The Project Management Unit has released BEAM funds into school accounts. The amounts are as follows: $9 278 172 for 35 948 primary school learners and $5 245 128 for secondary school learners.

“Surprisingly, some school heads up to now do not know about it (BEAM funds) while others have already invested this money into viable Covid-19 response programmes after following the proper channel of course,” said Mr Mhuma.

Government introduced BEAM in 2001 as a social protection tool to cushion orphaned and vulnerable children in getting basic education and entrenches the rights of children to get education in line with the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

It also operationalises provisions of the Education Act of 1987. Schools in Mashonaland West province have responded to the call to make personal protective equipment with at least 220 school (119 primary and 101 secondary) participating.

The schools now have a combined capacity to produce at least 53 000 face masks per day. With schools expected to open any time soon for examination classes, Mr Mhuma said, schools should be able to cater for their own learners in terms of providing masks.

“A wise school head must sit down now and strategise on how to receive his or her Grade 7, Form 4 and 6 learners during this Covid-19 period and outline how they are going to teach them, house them and enforce social distancing among others,” he said.

Some schools have started offering online lessons through video and audio lessons to assist learners prepare for the imminent national examinations.

Mr Mhuma said Covid-19 or its impact would not disappear soon and plans should be put in place to ensure continuity of learning in a safe environment.