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for primary schools from Unicef in a move viewed by observers as a sign of lack of confidence by the British Government in the UN agency.
This was after a British development agency, the Department for International Development, availed $15 million for the Beam programme.
Crown Agents is the British Government’s procurement arm.
Unicef used to coordinate funds sourced from donors for the Beam programme.
This year Unicef was sidelined after most of the donors failed to fund the programme.
Head of DFID in Zimbabwe Mr Dave Fish said in an interview last week that they realised it was more effective to coordinate the Beam funds through Crown Agents.
“For this particular programme, it is more effective for us to use Crown Agents to coordinate the money, but this is not to say Unicef was not doing well,” he said.
“We responded to a request from the Government of Zimbabwe for the support of the Beam programme in 2012 and we have availed $15 million.”
Mr Fish said the money was enough to cover school fees for primary school children under Beam for the whole year.
On further funding of the programme beyond 2012, Mr Fish said the UK government would wait for another request from Zimbabwean authorities.
The Government said the Beam programme was still active following the intervention of Crown Agents after Unicef withdrew from coordinating the fund.
The permanent secretary for Labour and Social Services, Mr Sydney Mhishi, said a huge chunk of money was already disbursed to various schools.
He said Government this year supported the programme with $16 million to cater for secondary school pupils.
“DFID together with the ministry entered into an agreement with Crown Agents who are now administering the primary school funds and making payments to schools,” said Mr Mhishi.
“With these resources, the target for 2012 is 400 000 children at primary school level and 150 000 children at secondary school level, to make a total of 550 000 supported children.”
Mr Mhishi said about 4 742 primary schools out of the 5 619 registered schools had so far received payments for first and second term school fees, leaving only 877 schools.
He said the money for the remaining schools would be disbursed once all submissions from the schools were received and captured in the payment system.
With regards to secondary schools, Mr Mhishi said: “For secondary schools, 1 332 (55 percent) schools have so far received payments out of the 2 416 registered schools.
“15 859 children at secondary school level had their examination fees paid from the resources allocated for secondary schools.”
Beam is a Government social protection mechanism aimed at ensuring enrolment and retention of orphans and vulnerable children in the formal school set up.
As a social safety net, Beam is managed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Services.
Since 2000, the Beam programme has been funded solely from central government with the National Aids Council (NAC) contributing from the National Aids Trust Fund.
However, the money was not enough hence the involvement of donors to fund primary school children.
Online Reporter