TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
Government is in the process of quantifying the number of vulnerable children in need of education assistance under the Basic Educational Assistance Module (BEAM) when schools open, it has been learnt.
BEAM is a programme introduced by government in 2001 to provide school fees ,examination fees, and levies to vulnerable children.
Government has deferred the re-opening of schools as Covid-19
numbers shot up.
But, has since advised schools and parents to prepare for the re-opening of schools, which government said will only happen when the risk to children is significantly lower.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Simon Masanga, told Business Times that the ministry was assessing applications across all the 10 provinces.
He urged schools not to chase away vulnerable children as government was working on their papers.
“The government is targeting a total of 1.5m children under BEAM in 2021. Schools are therefore encouraged not to turn away children from schools as per government policy. As a Ministry we are prepared to cover their
educational needs.
“There are so many orphans and vulnerable children requiring educational assistance and we are in the process of quantifying the need with the provinces. The numbers continue to rise but we remain guided by assessments like Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee
(ZIMVAC),” Masanga told Business Times.
In his 2021 National Budget, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mthuli Ncube allocated ZWL$2.2bn for BEAM.
Masanga said the primary objective of BEAM was to reduce the number of children dropping out, and reach out to children who have never been to school due to economic hardships.
BEAM targets orphans and vulnerable school going children aged four to 19 years of age enrolled in Early Childhood Development, primary, secondary
and special needs schools.
Its main development objectives are to prevent irreversible welfare
losses for poor households who resort to perverse coping mechanisms, like withdrawing children from school, in response to increasing poverty.
“This is a school fees assistance programme targeted at vulnerable
children of school-going age.
The module will have a national coverage, and assist children at both primary and secondary levels in both rural and urban areas,”
Masanga said.
He said the Covid -19 pandemic has affected the movement of BEAM claim forms from schools to the management unit.g
