BEAM rescues 230 000 Manicaland pupils

GOVERNMENT has poured additional funding to ensure that the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) package covers uniforms and stationery, among other education-related costs, thus giving the beneficiaries a fair opportunity to get good quality education.

Since the inception of BEAM in 2001, Government had only been catering for tuition and exam fees for the learners.

Things took a positive turn this year as the Second Republic revamped the programme to ensure that vulnerable children gets additional funding to enhance their quality of life.

The programme is coordinated by the Department of Social Services (DSS) in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Services; and is implemented by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

A communique from the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare secretary, Mr Simon Masanga said the module has changed from a budgetbased model to beneficiary targeting and retention.

“The Basic Education Assistance Module was being implemented on a budget-based model where schools were given monetary allocations based on their enrolments that would then assist in coming up with the number of beneficiaries per school,” said Mr Masanga.

In 2021, the BEAM had 1 369 000 beneficiaries.

These beneficiaries will be carried forward to 2022.

“New selections shall be done for those who became vulnerable in 2021 and are eligible. Through this approach, an allocation of a number of beneficiaries per province will be availed through the use of yearly enrolment figures from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education,” reads part of the letter.

Manicaland has at least 1 280 schoolS with a total of 453 024 learners.

A total of 228 549 are funded through BEAM.

Of the 228 549 beneficiaries, 137 000 are enrolled at primary schools while 91 420 are at secondary schools.

School heads called for the early disbursements of funds.

However, provincial remedial tutor in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Charles Mavhunze early this week allayed fears of late disbursement of BEAM funds.

He said some schools are still submitting their paperwork for onward submission to Treasury for payment.

“Most schools are still submitting their papers following the approval of their fees application. The BEAM initiative is having a positive impact, otherwise we could have had a lot of casualties. As many as 228 549 learners in Manicaland are benefiting and accessing quality education through this programme.

“Had this not been the case, a significant number of learners would have fallen by the wayside. Potential engineers and doctors could be on the streets or herding cattle. The completion rate would have been low, but through this intervention, the education completion rate has been increased and this will add to our national human capital base,” he said.

“The latest development in the 2022 programme is the inclusion of a component of school uniforms and stationery, among other education related costs.

“Each beneficiary is given redeemable vouchers. ln the past, those education related costs were excluded, thereby weighing heavily on their families. It meant that if the learner is an orphan and their school fees is paid, other crucial needs are unmet. The module is now holistic,” said Mr Mavhunze.

He said the primary objective of BEAM is to reduce the number of children dropping out of school due to economic hardships.

Mr Mavhunze went on to urge development partners to provide long-term technical and financial support to Government to ensure that the education system is prepared to meet increased demand.

However, concern has been raised that some deserving learners are being excluded from the programme.

At secondary level, there is no selection of beneficiaries as all that is done at primary level.

Calls have been made for responsible authorities to be thorough in selecting beneficiaries.

Community elders interviewed said schools do not display a list of beneficiaries on the public notice boards, thereby making it difficult to ensure transparency in the selection process.