Government urged to expedite release of BEAM funds to schools

SCHOOLS and parents have urged the Government to expedite the release of Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) funds saying the delays in payments were crippling the smooth running of schools amid revelations that some schools last got payments mid-2022.

Over 1,5 million learners were beneficiaries of the BEAM programme as of December 2023.

The BEAM scheme is a national schools assistance programme launched by the Government in 2001 to assist orphans and vulnerable children.

The financing of the programme mainly comes from the Government though the Treasury and also from the donor community.

At its inception, beneficiaries were orphaned and vulnerable children (aged 6–19), at primary or secondary school level.

It included children who had never been to school or who dropped out due to poverty or children who are in school but failing to pay fees with 10 percent of the beneficiaries being children with disabilities.

The BEAM scheme is administered by the Social Dimensions Fund under the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. The project management unit (PMU) of the enhanced social protection project is responsible for implementation at the national level.

However, there have been concerns over delays in the release of the funds, which has seen a number of schools struggling to operate.

The situation has become critical after the criteria for selecting beneficiaries was relaxed during the Covid-19 era, which saw some schools recording higher numbers to the extent of having almost all learners under BEAM, according to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Cde Torerai Moyo.

The minister is on record highlighting that in some cases the BEAM facility was being abused with undeserving persons being registered for the programme. He said the undeserving elements will soon be weeded out.

Mr Arthur Maphosa, who is president of the National Association of School Heads (Nash) and the Zimbabwe Schools Development Association Committee (ZSDAC) general secretary, Mr Everisto Jongwe said the idea behind the programme has always been noble but fund release delays is reversing all the intended benefits.

ZSDAC is an association for all school development committees in the country.

“BEAM seeks to ensure that no child is left behind in education, it ensures that every child has access to education despite background. However, over the years, perhaps because of our economic challenges as a nation, those responsible for making payments have been very slow and this creates a big challenge, making it very difficult for schools to be run effectively, hence results are also affected,” said Mr Maphosa.

He said the greatest challenge is that it is not the parent Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education that is responsible for the payment of the funds adding that perhaps there may be a need for Government to consider transferring that responsibility to the parent ministry.

“As Nash we are really hamstrung because schools are failing to equip classrooms with necessary learning resources, failing to participate in sporting activities and in the process denying the children an opportunity to showcase their skills, some of which may be their source of income,” said Mr Maphosa.

“We hope that our new minister will dialogue with his colleague for a solution to this payment delay.”

Speaking during a parents’ meeting yesterday, Lukhanyiso Primary School headmaster, Mr Aaron Mhango, said his school last received BEAM funds in May 2022, a position echoed by his colleagues from other schools in the city.

Mr Jongwe said it was unfortunate that the Government, despite committing itself to the programme, has not been able to release the funding on time.

“The situation is even made worse by the fact that when this money is paid, it does not take into account the length of the arrears vis-a-vis inflationary forces. If for instance, a school has 500 learners under BEAM owing say $500 000, Government will pay that same amount regardless of when, be it one year or two years later,” he said.

“From an accounting point of view, it is in order for Government to pay the amount owed but from an economic position, it is not working hence it has always been our plea for those parents whose children are not under BEAM to pay their school fees on time so that schools can at least have something to run with.

“We are urging the Government to release the funds on time,” said Mr Jongwe.

Public Service Minister Cde July Moyo was not reachable on his mobile phone for comment.