Harare Correspondent
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s education system is under severe strain as schools nationwide grapple with a critical shortage of funds due to the government’s failure to disburse Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) payments since the beginning of 2023, Parliament heard this week.
The dire situation was revealed during a parliamentary session where Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Edgar Moyo, admitted to the prolonged delay, leaving schools that rely on the scheme in financial distress and unable to cover basic operational costs.
Minister Moyo confirmed the arrears, stating,
“The information I have is that we have arrears from the beginning of 2023.”
He noted that Treasury had only released ZiG40 million this year, which was allocated exclusively to clear arrears for the first and second terms of 2024 for special needs schools, including Jairos Jiri, St. Giles, Sibantubanye, and M. Hugo School for the Blind.
“Treasury is committed to releasing more funds so that we can clear arrears for the main schools,”
Moyo assured lawmakers, adding that his ministry is engaging finance officials “almost weekly” to address the crisis.
Lawmakers expressed alarm over the devastating impact of the non-payment, warning that many schools are on the verge of closure. Mkoba South MP, Kuka John, who raised the initial question, highlighted the worsening conditions, saying,
“We have a problem. Most schools in our constituencies are deteriorating while we wait for Treasury disbursements. The only option left is for schools to close.”
Rushinga legislator, Tendai Nyabani, emphasized the extreme dependency on the program, revealing that some schools have up to 100 percent of their learners enrolled under BEAM, leaving them with virtually no alternative source of income.
The BEAM programme, designed to ensure access to education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, supports at least 1.5 million learners across the country. However, with funds frozen for nearly two years, schools report being unable to purchase teaching materials, pay support staff, or maintain infrastructure, pushing the education sector to the brink of collapse.
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