Coltart praises British government for $10 million BEAM fund

Former Education minister David Coltart has praised the British government the $10 million funding for the Basic Education Assistance Module set to benefit 250 000 primary school pupils this year.

The eligible pupils will be drawn from 5 415 primary and special schools throughout the country.

"I am delighted and grateful that DFID has decided to extend further assistance to BEAM this year. Children should never suffer simply because of the folly of adults," Coltart said.

"My hope and prayer is that this will not only relieve the suffering of thousands of poor Zimbabwean children out of school but will also go some way towards improving the relationship between the people of Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom."

Below is the UK AID statement on the BEAM funding:

UK AID PRESS RELEASE

26 February 2014

UNITED KINGDOM TO PROVIDE BEAM FUNDING (BASIC EDUCATION ASSISTANCE MODULE) FOR 250,000 ZIMBABWE PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN 2014

The UK through its Department for International Development (DFID) will provide USD10 million next month that will benefit over 250,000 eligible BEAM primary school children in 5,415 primary and special schools throughout Zimbabwe this year. The funding will contribute to higher attendance and completion rates among orphans and vulnerable children.

The additional funding responds to the Government of Zimbabwe's request to DFID last month to provide further support for BEAM in addition to the USD27 million provided in 2012-2013 which has already benefited hundreds of thousands of school age children.

The Head of the DFID office in Zimbabwe, Ms Jane Rintoul, said "the UK is very pleased to be able to provide this additional support which I know will make a huge difference to the lives of the children who will benefit along with their families and wider communities."

DFID welcomes the Government of Zimbabwe's policy directive to freeze increases on school fees and levies in 2014, a move which if enforced will help reduce any fall in the number of children supported in 2014 under BEAM.

DFID also encourages the Government of Zimbabwe to redouble its efforts to find additional funding sources for BEAM given that this is likely to be the UK's final contribution to the BEAM programme.

BEAM is a Government of Zimbabwe social protection programme, implemented by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare (MoPSLSW) under the National Action Plan for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (NAP) II. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, (MoPSE) is a key implementing partner as it is responsible for the management of schools and at the impact level BEAM contributes towards Zimbabwe's progress towards the internationally-agreed target of ensuring universal free primary education for all.

The UK's contribution to BEAM will be managed through Crown Agents who will work closely with MoPSLSW and MoPSE to monitor the delivery of funds.

The UK through DFID expects to invest some $650 million in the four years between 2011 and 2015 to help ensure that the poorest people in Zimbabwe have access to basic services such as education, health, water and sanitation, of which around $100 million will be in the education sector.