DELAYS in releasing funds by the government’s Basic Education Assistance Module (Beam) programme that helps disadvantaged children has affected their schooling as they are barred from attending lessons for non-payment of fees.
PERPETUAL PHIRI OWN CORRESPONDENT
This was revealed by Education ministry official Gibson Sibanda at a rural district development committee meeting in Gwanda yesterday.
Sibanda said beneficiaries of the 2012 school fees programme were only paid last month while funds for this year have not yet been released.
“You are aware that Beam caters for the poor vulnerable children and you know that the fees issue is not the problem of these children but the government, so I don’t know why you are chasing these children away yet you know they cannot afford to pay,” Sibanda said.
Councillor Enock de Souza of Ward 15 said the late payments by the government had become a problem for beneficiaries as some schools like Buvuma and Sukwi secondary schools had embarked on debt recovery initiatives that had resulted in the arrest of parents.
“We don’t know if the issue of chasing away pupils from school is a decision taken by the school or by the Education ministry,” De Souza said.
“Seriously, the issue is getting out of hand and I wish something could be done to stop this because it’s not the beneficiaries’ problem that their fees is not up to date, but that of the government.”
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De Souza also revealed that some parents ended up selling their livestock to pay some of the fees so that their children could attend lessons.
“I know the school head is not doing this alone, but working with the school development committee to make parents pay the fees and we do not know if the money paid is refunded when Beam releases its funds,” he said.
“The schools should have at least asked for advice from community representatives on what to do considering this issue than to sue parents.”
District social welfare officer Alex Zinyoro said the Beam programme was beset with challenges as its chief funder, the United Nations Children’s Fund withdrew support.
