By Chantelle Tatenda Muzanenhamo
Government has announced the disbursement of more than ZWG $16 billion under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) as it moves to clear the debt accrued by students on the program.
This funding which comes at a critical time, coincides with the commencement of Grade 7 examinations today, September 23rd, and goes a long way in reducing the debt which has surged due to non-payment
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo shared these figures while addressing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in Harare last week.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to clearing all arrears from the previous year.
“It is important to first note that arrears from 2022 were fully paid. Primary schools received payment for Term 1 and Terms 2 to 3 of 2022 on November 2nd, 2022, and December 2nd, 2022, respectively,” he stated.
Minister Moyo detailed the breakdown of the disbursements, noting, “A total of ZWL$11,505,838,386 was disbursed to cover fees for 675,177 primary students. Additionally, ZWL$6,955,480,479 was paid to cover fees for 233,991 secondary students. These schools were paid for Terms 1 to 3 of 2022 in December 2022. Thus, as of 2022, the Ministry has no outstanding arrears from schools that submitted complete claims documentation.”
While celebrating the successful payments for 2022, Minister Moyo acknowledged the ongoing challenges in processing BEAM payments for 2023 and 2024, attributing the delays to financial constraints.
However, he assured the public of the government’s dedication to resolving these issues.
“While we have faced some setbacks in clearing the arrears, I want to assure students and their families that the government remains committed to BEAM,” he affirmed.
The government’s efforts under the BEAM initiative highlight its commitment to providing educational support to the most vulnerable students, ensuring that they can continue their studies without financial hindrance even under a constrained financial purse.