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 with schools instructed not to turn them away, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Responding to questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Professor Paul Mavima said 1,8 million of the registered learners should not be turned away if their money has not been remitted to their schools.
“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 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,” said Prof Mavima.
Prof Mavima said it was Government policy that learners should not suffer the humiliation of being turned away from school urging headmasters to be advised accordingly.
BEAM is a fund set up by the Government and administered by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare whose objective is help underprivileged and vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe with school fees, examination fees, levies and building assistance.
“As to the humiliation that is being referred to by the Hon member, indeed, it is not even supposed to happen because our heads are in full knowledge of the policy of Government not to turn away learners, not even just the BEAM learners but any learners for that purpose.
“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,” said Prof Mavima.
BEAM is a fund set up by the Government and administered by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare whose objective is help underprivileged and vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe with school fees, examination fees, levies and building assistance.
It was introduced by the Government of Zimbabwe in 2001 and has been assisting with fees for underprivileged learners since then. – Sunday News
