Govt fails to release funds for BEAM leaving thousands of pupils stranded

The  government has failed to release the millions of dollars it allocated to the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) beneficiaries for last year, leaving thousands of pupils stranded and others forced to drop out of school.

The government undertook to pay $15 million towards BEAM students last year.

However, reports from the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture indicate that treasury only released $5 million for the over 67 000 secondary school students who are beneficiaries of the programme.

Addressing delegates at the United Kingdom Department for International Development BEAM 2013 launch at Fungisai Primary School in Chitungwiza, Education Minister Senator David Coltart said the Ministry of Finance should commit to support BEAM as it is its responsibility to ensure that every child has access to education.

He implored all Zimbabweans to vote YES to the new draft constitution as it advances the cause of children and their right to education, a component ignored by the Lancaster House document.

"Government should make the right to education a reality. That is the reason I am calling on all responsible parents to vote for the new constitution which advances the right of children which is ignored by the existing document," said Senator Coltart.

This year government has once again committed US$15 million towards BEAM while the National AIDS Council will provide $800 000 for secondary school support.

The United Kingdom's Department for International Development has already provided $12 million to cater for the primary school component of BEAM.

More than 400 000 students will benefit from this programme.