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The Headmaster and Deputy Head of a secondary school in Chiredzi District were recently arraigned before the Triangle Magistrates’ Court facing criminal abuse of duty charges.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the case emerged after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) received an anonymous tip alleging that the two had improperly included their children in the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme. BEAM is intended to assist underprivileged students.
However, the school head and his deputy bypassed established procedures to benefit their own children.
A thorough investigation revealed that each individual had unlawfully received US$120 for the year 2022 through this scheme. As a result, they were arrested and brought to trial.
Upon conviction, the court sentenced both defendants to 20 months in prison. However, 6 months of the sentence were suspended for 5 years, contingent on their good behaviour.
Additionally, 2 months were suspended on the condition that they pay restitution to the Social Services Department.
The remaining 12 months of their sentence were also suspended, provided they completed 420 hours of community service.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

The headmaster and deputy head of a school in Chiredzi were found guilty of putting their own kids in a program meant for poor students. They got money that wasn't supposed to go to them. The court gave them a sentence of 20 months in prison, but they only had to serve some of that time. They also have to do community service and pay back the money they took. This is wrong because they were supposed to help needy children, not use the money for themselves.

Headmaster And Deputy Head In Chiredzi Convicted Of BEAM Fraud

Obert Masaraure, the president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), has called on the government to improve the management and implementation of the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme.
In an interview with <a href="https://cite.org.zw/beam-fund-mismanagement-a-crisis-for-zimbabwean-schools/">CITE</a>, Masaraure highlighted concerns that the current BEAM administration is negatively impacting the day-to-day operations of schools.
Masaraure urged the government to disburse BEAM funds in a more timely manner and to deposit the monies directly into school accounts from the treasury.
He argued that the current practice of channelling BEAM funds through multiple government ministries creates loopholes for corruption and mishandling of the funds. He said:
<blockquote>
Unfortunately, BEAM has been reduced to a mere scheme used by the government to avoid providing state-funded education.
Why are we not having direct tuition grants for all learners paid directly to schools to benefit all learners?
There are many financial obligations that the government is failing to meet in terms of education service delivery.
Learners need sanitary pads in schools, and stationery, and learning institutions need funds to meet overhead expenses.
But we have a government notorious for not meeting its financial responsibilities due to corruption.
</blockquote>
Masaraure also said the funds allocated to schools are insufficient to meet demands, as the allocation falls significantly short of the recommendations outlined in the Dakar Declaration. He said:
<blockquote>
According to the Dakar declaration, we should be getting at least 20 per cent of the national budget and at least nine per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
But as it stands, we are only getting 17 per cent for the entirety of the education sector, tertiary education included.
He said the government should increase allocated funds and devolve education management to provincial levels. Said Masaraure:
As ARTUZ, we proposed a financing model that the government can adopt to ensure adequate financing in schools.
Primary and secondary schools must have their own allocation, and tertiary education must have its own. We should not be bundled together because our needs are different.
The government must also devolve the management of schools to provincial and regional levels.
Communities must have a say in how their schools are run. We cannot have everything centralized in Harare; this hampers service delivery for us.
</blockquote>
The government introduced BEAM in 2001 to support children from poor and vulnerable families to enrol and remain in primary and secondary school.
BEAM covers the payment of tuition fees, examination fees, and levies for eligible students from low-income households.
The programme targets orphans, children from child-headed households, those with disabilities, as well as children from chronically poor families who cannot afford school fees.
BEAM is administered by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
It aims to improve access to education and reduce dropout rates among vulnerable children who might otherwise be unable to attend school due to financial constraints.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

A man named Masaraure thinks the government needs to manage a program called BEAM better. BEAM helps poor kids go to school by paying for things like fees. Masaraure wants the money to go straight to schools to avoid corruption. He thinks the government should give more money to schools and let the provinces manage schools. BEAM started in 2001 to help kids from poor families go to school. It pays for things like fees and helps kids who can't afford school. Masaraure wants the government to do better to help all kids have a good education.

BEAM A Government Scheme To Avoid State-Funded Education - Masaraure

The government is struggling to pay fees for more than one million disadvantaged school children registered under its Basic Education Assistance Model (BEAM).
This was revealed by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Mthuli Ncube, during a question and answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Responding to a question from Emakhandeni-Luveve MP Discent Bajila (CCC), Ncube said the government owed schools US$57 million in BEAM arrears by the end of the 2023 financial year.
He said during the 2023 financial year, 1,515, 047 children registered for financial support under BEAM. Said Ncube:
<blockquote>
The government availed ZWL$77.5 billion against a budget of ZWL$23 billion thereby reducing school fees arrears as well as clearing ZIMSEC examination arrears for 2023.
Notwithstanding the above efforts, resource constraints exacerbated by changes in the macro-economic environment resulted in the accumulation of arrears for BEAM which stood at an equivalent of US$57 million (ZiG772 million) by the end of the 2023 financial year.
The 2024 budget set aside ZWL805, 087,608 now ZiG322,163,908 million to cater for BEAM. However, due to limited fiscal space, the budget is not able to fully cover the arrears thereby limiting to cover both arrears and current fees obligations.
To this effect, the treasury will ensure the release of the full budget in line with current fees payments to curb further accumulation of arrears.
Treasury will also strive to find additional budget during the course of the year to prioritise payment of arrears to the marginalised schools so that service delivery is not compromised.
</blockquote>
The government has barred school heads and School Development Committees (SDCs) from sending away learners if parents and guardians fail to pay tuition.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Edgar Moyo said schools should engage debt collectors to deal with parents who are defaulting on settling school fees for their children. He said:
<blockquote>
Legally, school authorities are allowed to engage debt collectors to recover unpaid school fees instead of turning away learners.
As a matter of fact, we have consistently advised our school authorities to engage with parents or guardians in order to pay school fees and levies without even sending pupils away from school.
In the event that parents or guardians are not able to pay all the required fees and levies, the ministry has been on record, for advising school authorities to enter into a flexible payment plan.
However, we want to urge parents or guardians to respect the payment plans which they enter into with school authorities.
</blockquote>
In 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law the Education Amendment Act which compels the State to provide free basic education as stipulated by Section 27 of the Constitution.
In the run-up to the 2018 and 2023 general elections, the Government promised free basic education but has failed to honour the promises.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Govt Admits Failure To Pay BEAM Fees, Arrears Exceed US$57 Million

The Government has paid over $19.2 billion to primary schools around the country to settle 2023 arrears of learners under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
This was said by Deputy Minister of Public Service and Social Welfare, Mercy Dinha while responding to concerns over delays in paying BEAM funds during question time in Parliament recently. She said, as quoted by<a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/govenment-pays-192bn-to-schools-for/"> Chronicle</a>:
<blockquote>
An amount totalling ZWL$19 233 085 029 has been paid to settle 2023 arrears for primary schools across the country. The total arrears for primary schools are ZW$425 215 440 000. For secondary schools, the total arrears are ZW$142 496 265 000 and the total is ZW$567 711 705 000.
</blockquote>
Dinha was responding to Emakhandeni Luveve MP, Discent Bajila (CCC) who had asked the Deputy Minister to give a breakdown of BEAM arrears owed to schools province by province and the plans that have been put in place to clear the arrears. She said:
<blockquote>
The actual release is ZW$30 billion, which is being processed. For Bulawayo, we have 49 schools and the amount per term is US$703 490 and the total for the three terms is US$2 110 470.
For Harare we have 58 schools that are under BEAM and the total, all in all for Harare for Primary schools is US$18 050 688.
</blockquote>
Dinha said Mashonaland Central has 314 schools under BEAM owed US$3 794 226 while Mashonaland East has 12 primary schools that are under BEAM and the total owed is US$158 955.
Mashonaland West has 107 schools under BEAM and the total amount in arrears is US$1 885 410.
She said Matabeleland North has 262 schools under BEAM owed about US$2 036 364, while Matabeleland South has 233 schools owed US$2 388 150 under BEAM.
Manicaland has 669 schools under BEAM and the total in arrears is US$7 350 897 while in Masvingo there are 606 schools under BEAM with arrears totalling US$6 628 986.
Bimha said of the ZWL$50 billion that her Ministry was promised by the Treasury, only ZW$30 billion was availed as cash.
BEAM was launched by the Government in 2001 to assist orphans and vulnerable children. Financing of the programme mainly comes from the Government and development partners.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Govt Releases ZWL$19.2 Billion For BEAM - Deputy Minister

An inter-ministerial subcommittee has been set up by the Government to address issues relating to delays in the disbursement of Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) funds, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo has revealed.
Some schools have gone for more than one year without receiving payments, a situation that hampers the smooth running of schools.
Moyo addressed school heads in Bulawayo at St Columbus High School on Thursday where he allowed the National Association of Secondary Heads (NASH), National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) and Independent Colleges to make submissions on issues that need to be addressed.
The associations raised issues around non-payment of fees, teacher remuneration, and staffing levels.
Moyo told the school heads that the Government has taken steps to address the challenges caused by delays in the payment of BEAM funds. He said (<a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/team-set-up-to-address-beam-payment-modalities/">via The Herald</a>):
<blockquote>
We also have BEAM facilities and the concerns raised by NAPH and NASH are legitimate that the trend has been that the Ministry of Finance has been delaying the disbursement of BEAM funds.
The year 2024 is the year of African education and we have made an engagement with the Minister of Finance (Prof Mthuli Ncube).
We have actually established sub-committees to look into quick disbursement of BEAM funds.
Just yesterday, the first meeting of that sub-committee was held and our Permanent Secretary (Mr Mike Mhike) was in attendance.
</blockquote>
Moyo said Deputy Finance Minister, David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa, will chair the subcommittee.
Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Angeline Gata and Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Mercy Dinha will be members of the committee. Said Moyo:
<blockquote>
In some schools you last got BEAM payment in the first term of 2023 and in some schools, BEAM payment has taken two years. It’s not right.
We are going to solve that issue and because we are in that year of our education as Africans, we are going to come up with new modalities that will result in quick disbursements of BEAM funds.
</blockquote>
The ZANU PF-led Government has a habit of promising free education in the run-up to general elections but the promises are soon forgotten after the polls and schools will have another inconvenience of receiving BEAM funds long after they have been eroded by inflation.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Inter-ministerial Team Set Up To Address BEAM Payment Delays

Primary and Secondary Education Minister <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Torerayi_Moyo">Torerayi Moyo</a> has challenged schools to find innovative ways to ensure that parents pay school fees for learners instead of expelling students or withholding their public examination results.
Moyo made the remarks while addressing heads of schools in the Bulawayo Province at St Columbus High School during a tour of schools in the province.
He reiterated that contractual agreements regarding school fees are between schools and parents, not the learners themselves. Moyo said (<a href="https://cite.org.zw/minister-bans-schools-from-punishing-students-over-fees/">via CITE</a>):
<blockquote>
Chasing away learners or withholding their results is unconstitutional. It violates a learner’s right to education. Their results must not be withheld either.
Imagine if a teacher were to call a learner to the front of the class and tell them that their fees is not paid, it would affect them.
Their parents and guardians are the ones who are supposed to be called and reminded that fees have not been paid. A learner will not pay for themselves.
The government will crack down on all those school authorities who are violating the law.
We are compiling names and there shall come a time when we will come to you and you shall face the consequences.
Schools must come up with innovative ways of making sure parents pay fees on time.
</blockquote>
Over the years, school administrators have resorted to barring learners from attending lessons to force parents and guardians to pay schools.
Schools have also resorted to withholding ZIMSEC results from learners with school fee arrears, also to force parents to pay up.
On its part, the Government has been failing to pay Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) funds on time and this has negatively impacted the smooth running of schools.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Minister Warns School Heads Against "Punishing" Learners Over Unpaid Fees

Schools and parents have implored the Government to expedite the release of Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) funds saying the delays in payments were disrupting the smooth running of schools.
The call comes amid revelations that some schools last got payments in 2022.
Arthur Maphosa, who is president of the National Association of School Heads (NASH), told the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/government-urged-to-expedite-release-of-beam-funds-to-schools/">Chronicle</a> that the major challenge is that it is not the parent Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education that is responsible for the payment of the BEAM funds. Said Maphosa:
<blockquote>
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.
As NASH we are 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.
We hope that our new minister will dialogue with his colleague for a solution to this payment delay.
</blockquote>
Speaking during a parents’ meeting on Monday, 22 January, Lukhanyiso Primary School headmaster, Aaron Mhango, claimed that his school last received BEAM funds in May 2022.
Zimbabwe Schools Development Association Committee (ZSDAC) general secretary, Everisto Jongwe, said when the payments are finally made, the Government doesn’t even consider the impact of inflationary forces. He said:
<blockquote>
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, the Government will pay that same amount regardless of when, be it one year or two years later.
From an accounting point of view, the Government must 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.
</blockquote>
BEAM is a national school assistance programme launched by the Government in 2001 to assist orphans and vulnerable children.
The financing of the programme mainly comes from the Government through the Treasury and also from the donor community.
Over 1.5 million learners were beneficiaries of the BEAM programme as of December 2023.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Schools, Parents Urge Govt To Expedite Release Of BEAM Funds

The Government has said it will take time to roll out free education as resources need to be mobilised for its implementation.
<a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200021384/free-education-needs-resources-minister">NewsDay</a> reported the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Torerai Moyo as saying free education will be rolled out in the next few years. Said Moyo:
<blockquote>
The government indeed has the intention that from Early Childhood Development (ECD) up to Grade 7, children should have free education.
That is the aim of the President. So, this is not new. It is an issue that we are seriously considering and it will not take us three years to implement.
We need to mobilise the resources so that people benefit. Free education comes in various forms.
There is the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) for those children who come from less privileged parents and they can go from ECD A up to grade 7 for free.
</blockquote>
BEAM is a government programme aimed at providing financial assistance to disadvantaged primary and secondary school learners.
It was established to support children from vulnerable backgrounds, including orphans, children from low-income families, and children with disabilities, to access quality education.
BEAM has, however, been affected by underfunding from the Treasury. In November 2023, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo said that the Government has a ZWL$278 billion outstanding bill for BEAM.
Meanwhile, Torerai Moyo revealed that BEAM does not cater for levies for projects that schools require from parents from time to time. He said:
<blockquote>
In underdeveloped areas like my communal home, Muzarabani, Guruve and Kariba, children in those areas do not pay school fees.
They are going to school for free. There is a grant that is being used to cater for their fees.
Those who pay do so because they will have reached an agreement that the school wants to build accommodation for the schoolteachers and levies are going to be paid.
The ministry is approached with proposals and approval is granted.
</blockquote>
In 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law the Education Amendment Act which compels the State to provide free basic education as stipulated by Section 27 of the Constitution.
In the run-up to the 2018 and 2023 general elections, the Government promised free basic education but has failed to honour the promises.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Free Education Comes In Various Forms - Minister

The Government says it will weed out all undeserving beneficiaries of school fees disbursed under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) after it emerged that some schools have all their learners receiving the grants.
BEAM was established in 2001 by the Government as part of the Enhanced Social Protection Programme (ESPP) the objective was to provide basic education to everyone in Zimbabwe including students who could not afford school fees such as Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
However, there has been widespread abuse of the BEAM funds as some parents and guardians who are able to pay tuition for their children are benefitting from the grant.
Speaking at the National Association of Primary Heads national conference in Mutare recently, Primary and Secondary Education Minister <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Torerayi_Moyo">Torerayi Moyo</a> said:
<blockquote>
This thing called BEAM is a very good thing. It helps make every citizen access basic education.
In my constituency, there is a school where all 400 learners are under BEAM.
Given the late disbursements of BEAM funds, how do we surely expect the school to operate?
Here we are saying we must not give BEAM and grant-in-aid-of-tuition facilities to every student in Zimbabwe.
Let the few deserving students be offered those facilities. The majority of learners whose parents can afford should pay. That is our declaration…
The sad thing is that we have parents and guardians who do not want to pay school fees for their children.
We really have to go out and embark on a drive to urge all parents and guardians to meet the financial demands of their dependents.
We want to come up with a declaration that we will popularise as we seek to make every parent and guardian responsible by paying for their child’s school fees.
</blockquote>
Early this month, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo said that the Government has a staggering ZWL$278 billion outstanding bill for BEAM.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Parents Abusing BEAM Facility, Says Education Minister

The Government has a staggering ZWL$278 billion outstanding bill for the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme.
BEAM was established in 2001 by the Government as part of the Enhanced Social Protection Programme (ESPP) the objective was to provide basic education to everyone in Zimbabwe including students who could not afford school fees such as Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
<a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200019253/govt-struggles-to-clear-beam-arrears">NewsDay</a> reported Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo as saying the Government is currently paying BEAM arrears for 2022.
In a presentation at the pre-budget seminar held at the new Parliament building in Mt Hampden last week, Minister Moyo said:
<blockquote>
The mismatch between budget disbursement and cash release: for example, under the BEAM programme, from the revised budget of ZWL$86.9 billion, cash availed to date is only ZWL$58.4 billion, leaving a balance of $28.6 billion.
Even the revised balance is not adequate to meet the requirements for 2023, as we are currently paying arrears for 2022. The arrears currently stand at ZWL$278 billion.
</blockquote>
The Government says this year, it assisted 1 515 047 learners with educational assistance under BEAM. Of these, 730 321 were boys and 784 726 were girls.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Govt Struggles To Clear 2022 BEAM Arrears

Some parents and guardians of children enrolled at Mlich Primary School in Karoi have accused the school’s headmaster, a Mr Raisi of sending children away from school thereby barring them from attending lessons over the non-payment of fees and are demanding that he be transferred from the school.
Parents who spoke to Pindula News alleged that Raisi had also been sending away learners who are under the the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
BEAM was established in 2001 by the government of Zimbabwe as part of the Enhanced Social Protection Programme (ESPP) the objective was to provide basic education to everyone in Zimbabwe including students that could not afford the school fees such as Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
The parents raised the matter after Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo recently warned school authorities that sending away learners for non-payment of fees is a criminal offence and those who do so risk being prosecuted for violating children’s right to education.
However, authorities at the school denied the allegations saying they only asked learners to inform parents with arrears to come to the school to negotiate payments.
One of the parents who spoke to this publication admitted that the school head had indeed asked parents to negotiate payment plans but that was after children had been barred from attending lessons.
It also emerged that Mlich Primary School doubled school fees from US$15 per term to US$30 per term which has resulted in about half of the parents failing to pay fees on time.
Authorities at the school, which has an enrolement of 572, said some parents are yet to pay the first term fees which has negatively affected the school’s operations.
The 176 learners who are under BEAM have never been sent away and are attending lessons as usual according to sources at the school. Said a source:
<blockquote>
No learner under BEAM has been sent away. Even those who are not under BEAM have not been sent home but it was resolved that their parents should come to the school to negotiate a payment plan especially those whose tuition arrears have accumulated over several terms. Payments plans, however, have nothing to do with those under BEAM.
</blockquote>
Another parent with a child at the school said Raisi bragged that he will continue sending the children away saying “nothing will happen to me”.
Responding to legislators in the National Assembly during a question and answer session just over two weeks ago, Minister Moyo said some schools were barring learners under BEAM from attending lessons. He said:
<blockquote>
We are using a Statutory Instrument of 2000 which imposes penalties for sending children away from school.
The school head can be charged for breaching the children’s right to education.
Should anyone hear of any school still sending children away from school, please quickly let us know.
</blockquote>
Moyo said that instead of sending away learners over the non-payment of school fees, Moyo said authorities should first engage parents and guardians.
Moyo also implored parents and guardians who can afford to pay fees to do so for the smooth running of the institutions.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Parents Want Headmaster To Be Transferred Over Tuition Arrears Fallout

The Government is yet to disburse this year’s Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) funds to beneficiaries at Bulawayo City Council (BCC) schools.
According to the latest council minutes, the local authority’s housing and community services director Dictor Khumalo, some BEAM beneficiaries fail to get their public examinations results due to the non-payment of fees. Said Kkumalo:
<blockquote>
Council did not receive any Beam funds as yet for 2023, while $75 931 999 was the outstanding balance for 2022 Beam allocations.
Alderman Monica Lubimbi was concerned about the non-payment of BEAM in council schools. This affected beneficiaries and their parents and guardians.
She urged the central government to pay in time so that the quality of education improves.
The chairperson (councillor Sinikiwe Mutanda) concurred. Some results of Beam beneficiaries were withheld pending full payment of all outstanding school fees.
</blockquote>
He said council was engaging the Government at the provincial level to ensure the Beam funds are released.
BEAM was established in 2001 by the government of Zimbabwe as part of the <a class="new" href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/index.php?title=Enhanced_Social_Protection_Programme&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" title="Enhanced Social Protection Programme (page does not exist)">Enhanced Social Protection Programme</a> (<a class="new" href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/index.php?title=ESPP&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" title="ESPP (page does not exist)">ESPP</a>) the objective was to provide basic education to everyone in Zimbabwe including students that could not afford the school fees such as <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Orphans_and_vulnerable_children" title="Orphans and vulnerable children">Orphans and vulnerable children</a> (OVC).
This was part of the policy of the government as well as global agreements that the Zimbabwean government is a signatory to.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Govt Yet To Disburse BEAM Funds To Bulawayo City Council Schools

The National Aids Council (NAC) has donated more than ZWL$300 million to the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
The donation was handed over by NAC chief executive officer Bernard Madzima to Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Lovemore Matuke on Friday at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
He said the money is for the payment of school fees and covering expenses for the vulnerable children so that they continue attending school thereby reducing the risk of contracting HIV. Said Madzima:
<blockquote>
I am honoured to hand over our contribution towards BEAM for 2023. This financial assistance is coming from the Nac Trust fund generally known as Aids levy.
As a country, we have achieved the 2025 95-95-95 targets and we are so proud of that milestone.
Despite this achievement, we are looking at around 500 000 affected children who are orphaned or now vulnerable due to HIV and AIDS hence this donation will ensure they have access to shelter, education and food.
This donation is part of our comprehensive approach to HIV prevention.
For over a decade now we have been contributing towards BEAM and I can safely say we cater for at least 10 per cent of the BEAM’s yearly budget.
We work towards the reduction of HIV and addressing education needs helps us reduce new infections.
This will help us achieve our target of ending AIDS as a public health concern by 2030.
</blockquote>
95-95-95 means that 95 per cent of infected individuals know their status, 95 per cent of those infected are on medication and 95 per cent of those on medication achieve viral suppression.
BEAM is a Government-run programme aimed at providing financial assistance to vulnerable children who are in need of support to access education.
BEAM supports orphaned and vulnerable children aged between six and 19 and about 1.8 million children are being assisted under the programme.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

National AIDS Council Donates $300 Million To BEAM

Ordinary Level candidates whose school fees are paid through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), have to top up examination fees if they register for more than six subjects.
Bulawayo provincial education director Jane Ndebele on Thursday told <a href="https://newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local-news/article/200009494/beam-students-can-only-register-6-subjects-govt">Southern Eye</a> that the BEAM programme pays for only six Ordinary Level (‘O’ Level) subjects.
She said candidates on BEAM sitting for more than six subjects have to pay for the extra subjects. Ndebele said:
<blockquote>
Through BEAM assistance, students can only register for six subjects. Those who have been asked to pay on their own are probably doing more than six subjects.
The claims that BEAM is no longer paying fees for ‘O’ Level students probably came from parents who do not understand that the programme pays for six subjects (only).
</blockquote>
BEAM is a national school assistance programme which was launched by the Government of Zimbabwe in 2001 to assist orphans and vulnerable children.
Early this year, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Paul Mavima said more than 1.8 million learners in the country’s 61 districts have been registered to benefit from BEAM.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200009522/ed-demands-re-run-in-violence-hotspots">Pindula News</a>

BEAM Covers Six O' Level Subjects Only - Govt

The Government says it has started rolling out a pilot project on State-funded education in 16 rural districts across the country.
The pilot project will be conducted in two rural districts in each of the country’s eight provinces. Bulawayo and Harare metropolitan provinces are excluded.
The programme is being implemented in primary schools only.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said the pilot project will identify any loopholes that need to be addressed before the programme is rolled out across the whole country. <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/free-education-pilot-project-starts-in-16-rural-districts/">The Herald</a> quoted Ncube as saying:
<blockquote>
We have taken the first step towards free education which was announced by the President.
We began by rolling out the programme in some selected districts so that we can test the approach and processes and model so that we don’t make mistakes going forward.
Once we are clear and satisfied with the results, we will roll it out across the whole country.
We are steadily moving forward to make sure no child is left behind and no place is left behind.
Bits of it (free education) had already started years back some of it is about packaging for example the BEAM programme.
So, we are just expanding that to cover more children and people with different levels of income. We are on our way to covering the whole country.
</blockquote>
The Government pays schools fees to nearly two million pupils through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
It also subsidises examination fees for all candidates in public schools and pays all the fees for Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) candidates on BEAM.
Senator Chief Siansali from Binga District, one of the two districts in Matabeleland North Province where the pilot project is being conducted, said:
<blockquote>
Yes, Government has started implementing the free education policy in schools in Binga.
But in my engagements with school authorities, they have highlighted that there is a need to fine-tune the programme.
Funds are disbursed very late which affects the smooth running of the schools.
So during the time when funding has not been disbursed schools fail to operate and parents end up paying whatever they have so that schools are not brought to a halt.
Money comes but comes very late and sometimes it would be very little because the rate that they would have used it would have been overtaken by inflation.
</blockquote>
A villager from Mangwe District said that the local school was implementing the policy but parents and guardians were requested to pay development levy.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Govt Rolls Out Free Education Pilot Project In 16 Rural Districts

More than 1.8 million learners in the country’s 61 districts have been registered to benefit from the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme, reported <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/government-pays-fees-for-18-million-learners/">The Sunday News</a>.
This was said by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Paul Mavima while responding to questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Mavima said schools should not shut out registered learners if their fees have not been remitted to their schools. He said:
<blockquote>
The BEAM programme has 1 800 000 learners registered. Schools already know of the identity of the learners and they are not supposed to turn these learners away because monies have not been remitted to the schools.
That is the policy of the Government. As we push for those funds to be transferred to the schools, the learners should continue to learn.
BEAM was up to date up to the third term of 2022, and we are in the first term of 2023.
There is no reason whatsoever for schools to turn away the BEAM registered learners.
</blockquote>
He said it is a crime for school heads to “humiliate” learners on BEAM by sending them home because the government has delayed paying their fees. Mavima said:
<blockquote>
It is a policy of Government that payment arrangements have to be made with parents and that learners should not be humiliated in the manner that he has referred to.
It is a crime for a head or a school authority to turn away learners on BEAM knowing that the Government will pay the fees.
If that happens, we need to know so that the relevant Ministry can deal with those headmasters.
</blockquote>

1.8 Million Learners Are On BEAM - Minister Mavima

The government says it will gradually start implementing its State-funded free education policy when schools open for the first term next week.
Speaking in an interview with State media on Tuesday, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said:
<blockquote>
The free education effort is not starting this year. It has been building up for some time. As for Matabeleland South, I know that two districts, Mangwe and Beitbridge pioneered the issue of free education and it was two districts across the country’s rural provinces where Government was fully paying for learners.
In our statement last year, we highlighted that it is not going to be everyone who will be covered. It is going to be a phased approach, beginning with the most disadvantaged communities classified under our systems and coded as P3, which are the rural primary schools, and S3, rural secondary schools.
Our efforts are going to be targeted at those areas and gradually we are going to realise full State-funded education. We have started through BEAM and the pilot program where two districts were covered.
We will gradually begin, with the most disadvantaged schools and move up the ladder until we are able to cover the whole population.
</blockquote>
The government already subsides the payment of Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) registration fees by up to 55 percent for every learner while fully paying the fees for those pupils under BEAM.
Around two million disadvantaged learners’ fees are paid for under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) from the estimated 6.7 million pupil population. | <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/government-explains-free-education-policy-school-fees-reprieve-for-disadvantaged-rural-pupils/">Chronicle</a>

Free Education Policy Won't Benefit Everyone In 2023 - Govt

The government has seemingly reneged on its earlier promises to provide free basic education starting next year.
In 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law the Education Amendment Act which compels the State to provide free basic education.
In July this year, <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/govt-to-provide-free-education-starting-in-2023/#:~:text=The%20Government%20says%20it%20will,communities%20set%20to%20benefit%20first.">Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said that the government says it will commence a State-funded basic education programme next year.</a>
However, in the National Assembly, last week, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said the provision of free education would take time to implement. He said:
<blockquote>
To fully transition to total free education, we have to undertake a thorough evaluation of requirements, identifying gaps to debate and implementation of activities that broaden coverage for education to every child.
So, this is a process, we will get there because we have started but we are already doing a lot in terms of education access.
I have said earlier that provision of free education is a process, hence the budget increased allocation to the sector by 2.1% from the previous years.
</blockquote>
Ncube allocated $631.3 billion (US$976 million) towards providing quality infant, junior and secondary education but the bulk of the allocation will go towards teachers’ salaries and other learning costs. Added Ncube:
<blockquote>
Let me take this opportunity to advise the august House that already government is the main funder of basic education and that is from paying of teachers, construction of schools, provision of teaching and learning materials, supporting public examinations access, payment of fees for some schools and learners such as the Basic Education And Assistance (Beam) programme.
The government is already doing a lot in terms of making sure that there is better education access, indeed education is free.
</blockquote>
Speaking during the debate on the Finance Bill, ZANU PF Chief Whip in Parliament, Pupurai Togarepi, said the budget was insufficient to facilitate free education.
Mberengwa East legislator Marko Raidza (ZANU PF) said the budget allocation for education was inadequate to meet the needs of the Basic Education And Assistance Module (BEAM) facility. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200005138/govt-dithers-on-free-education">NewsDay</a>

Provision Of Total Free Education Will Take Time - Mthuli Ncube

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has said the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme has failed to cater for all schoolchildren who need financial assistance.
This year, the government set aside $4.1 billion for BEAM which caters for vulnerable children’s school fees, but only one-and-a-half million children have benefitted out of four million. In a report issued on Monday, ARTUZ said:
<blockquote>
The allocation of $2 700 per child per year is too little when the cheapest school is charging an average of $125 000 per year.
If we were to use the targeted number of 1.5 million, the 2022 allocation translates to $2 700 per year or $900 per term, a figure far from the prevailing school fees and levies.
Furthermore, there is evidence that the Beam programme has not been reaching the targeted numbers.
(Some) $2,294 billion was allocated for the school feeding programme targeting 6 000 schools in 2022 from 5 800 in 2021. Per capita allocation is therefore $740 per child, per year.
What food can be secured by this paltry amount? Even if we were to feed a child with US$1 per day, we will need at least US$180 per learner per year.
</blockquote>
Public Service minister Paul Mavima said his ministry has received a further $20 billion from Treasury and is in a position to pay fees for the beneficiaries for the second and third terms. He said:
<blockquote>
Fee hikes have nothing to do with BEAM. BEAM is not for boarding schools. It is mainly for primary schoolchildren and secondary schoolchildren.
Fee hikes, therefore, do not affect Beam. We now have an allocation of $20 billion, which will ensure that we catch up for the second and third terms.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200002576/beam-has-failed-artuz">NewsDay</a>

Rural Teachers' Union Says BEAM Has Failed

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Paul Mavima has said the provision of free basic education will be done step by step with the government currently working on supporting 1.5 million learners through Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) in 2022.
In an interview with NewsDay last week, Mavima said BEAM has gone beyond merely paying school fees for disadvantaged learners but also providing them with learning materials. Mavima said:
<blockquote>
Steps are already underway to provide free education and this will be done progressively.
Already we are looking forward to supporting 1.5 million learners through Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) this year.
As already indicated, BEAM has moved towards comprehensive coverage of the needs of learners beyond tuition fees.
This has been an important step towards the attainment of State-funded basic education.
The State has indicated that there will be more comprehensive coverage of this matter under the 2023 budget.
</blockquote>
Critics have accused the government of making false promises on free education as these pledges are usually made ahead of elections while little is done to fulfil them.
Some schools are now demanding school fees exclusively in foreign currency, casting doubt on the government’s capacity to fulfil its free education pledge.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/08/govt-intensifying-free-education-efforts/">NewsDay</a>

Govt To Provide Free Education Progressively - Mavima

The government says it has adequate resources to cater for 1.5 million learners under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme in 2022.
The issue of BEAM funds was raised by parliamentarians on Wednesday amid reports that some disadvantaged learners are in danger of failing to sit for their 2022 Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) examinations.
The matter was raised in the National Assembly by Gokwe Chireya MP, Torerayi Moyo (ZANU PF), who said beneficiaries of BEAM were failing to register for their final examinations due to non-payment of fees under the government scheme.
In response, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Paul Mavima claimed that the government had disbursed the funds. Said Mavima:
<blockquote>
We have made tremendous progress in the disbursement of Beam funds. So far, we have paid tuition fees for the second term which is the current term except for schools that needed to comply with the reporting requirements for Beam.
This year our target is 1.5 million and the resources to cover those students are there. Our coverage has become more comprehensive, to include all the requirements for those learners including uniforms, and stationery that they need because we used to just cover tuition fees.
</blockquote>
However, Zimbabwe Union of School Heads president Munyaradzi Majoni told NewsDay that disbursements for BEAM fees were erratic.
Meanwhile, the headmaster of Mahombekombe Primary School in Kariba reportedly barred Grade 7 learners from registering for their ZIMSEC exams due to non-payment.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) on Tuesday gave the headmaster a 24-hour ultimatum to stop disenfranchising pupils under BEAM over non-payment.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/07/outcry-over-beam-funds/">NewsDay</a>

ZANU PF MP Demands Timely Disbursement Of BEAM Funds

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has petitioned authorities at Mahombekombe Primary School to allow pupils to register for their Grade Seven examinations despite the non-payment of registration fees guaranteed by the government.
ZLHR’s Tinashe Chinopfukutwa on Tuesday 26 July 2022 gave a twenty-four-hour ultimatum to the school’s headmaster only identified as Beretino to allow the beneficiaries of the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) to register for the November Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) examinations. ZLHR said:
<blockquote>
Without giving any reasons, Beretino reportedly told parents and guardians that their children’s examination registration fees will not be paid through the government-backed BEAM programme.
Parents and guardians are expected to make payments at examination registration centres by Friday 29 July 2022.
In response to Beretino’s conduct, Chinopfukutwa on Tuesday 26 July 2022 served him with a letter demanding that he within twenty-four hours forward the list of names of all Grade Seven students, who are enrolled on the BEAM programme to the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC), for payment of their 2022 examination fees.
Chinopfukutwa protested that the summary and arbitrary decision to withhold BEAM benefits to the pupils is unlawful, and constitutes a breach of the learners’ right to “basic State-funded education”.
In addition, Beretino’s conduct, Chinopfukutwa said, amounts to treating the learners in an unfair and discriminatory manner based on the economic and social status of their disadvantaged parents and guardians.
This, the human rights lawyer said, is a breach of the affected learners’ right to equality and non-discrimination as set out in section 56 of the Constitution.
Chinopfukutwa also warned that Beretino’s conduct amounts to a breach of the affected learners’ right to administrative justice guaranteed in section 68 of the Constitution, which entitles them to be furnished with reasons in writing for the adverse administrative conduct that the school head has adopted against the learners.
Chinopfukutwa said Beretino’s failure to comply with the students’ parents and guardians’ demands will leave him with no choice but to institute legal action against the school head seeking an order to compel him to register the students so as to write their Grade Seven examinations.
</blockquote>

Headmaster Denies Pupils ZIMSEC Registration Over Non-payment Of BEAM

The Government says it will commence a State-funded basic education programme next year, with learners from underprivileged communities set to benefit first.
Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said the Government conducted a three-year nationwide study to establish the costs involved in the programme.
The study, which covered 20 schools – two schools in each province – sought to classify public schools by location and learners’ level of need, among other things.
In categorising schools for the purposes of the programme, institutions currently classified as “Group A” schools have now been reclassified as P1 (for primary schools) and S1 (for secondary schools).
Missionary schools, currently classified as “Group B” institutions, are now classified as P2 and S2 schools.
Learning institutions in rural areas and poor communities (formerly Group C) have been classified as P3 and S3 schools.
When the State-funded basic education programme starts in the First Term next year, P3 and S3 schools will be the first to receive grants.
The schools will receive grants from the government in lieu of tuition and school development levies from parents and guardians.
The number of schools that are set to benefit from the first phase has not been disclosed but Moyo said a policy framework to guide implementation was being crafted. He said:
<blockquote>
Our schools have been categorised into three distinct groupings for the purpose of giving them grants.
The categorisation takes into account the location of schools.
What we have done is look at the unit cost of educating a child.
I will not disclose that but we have already come up with a figure, which is still at the consultative stage.
Primary learners have their own figure; the same as secondary school learners.
</blockquote>
Learners will also get Information Communication Technology gadgets to facilitate online learning.
The devices are being assembled by the State-owned tech enterprise Zimbabwe Information Technology Company (ZITCO).
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/free-education-expected-to-begin-next-year/">The Sunday News</a></h4>

Govt To Provide Free Education Starting In 2023

Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi, who is also Mazowe South legislator (ZANU PF), has paid tuition fees for 1 200 pupils from underprivileged families in his constituency.
Chasi deposited $146 000 into Mazowe Primary School’s CBZ account for second term fees. The development was confirmed by school head Archibald Tanda. He said:
<blockquote>We received school fees for 1 200 pupils from our honourable MP, the fees for the second term.</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Zanu PF youth and former Mazowe Primary School school development committee chairperson Peter Mangisa said they approached Chasi for help following the closure of Jumbo Mine where many parents and guardians were employed.
Mangisa also said that many families in Mazowe do not fall under the “underprivileged” category for them to qualify for the government’s Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) even though they cannot afford to pay the school fees.
The BEAM programme provides assistance to close to 500 000 disadvantaged children.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/07/chasi-pays-school-fees-for-1-200-pupils/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

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