The Government has paid over $19.2 billion to primary schools around the country to settle 2023 arrears of learners under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
This was said by Deputy Minister of Public Service and Social Welfare, Mercy Dinha while responding to concerns over delays in paying BEAM funds during question time in Parliament recently. She said, as quoted by Chronicle:
An amount totalling ZWL$19 233 085 029 has been paid to settle 2023 arrears for primary schools across the country. The total arrears for primary schools are ZW$425 215 440 000. For secondary schools, the total arrears are ZW$142 496 265 000 and the total is ZW$567 711 705 000.
Dinha was responding to Emakhandeni Luveve MP, Discent Bajila (CCC) who had asked the Deputy Minister to give a breakdown of BEAM arrears owed to schools province by province and the plans that have been put in place to clear the arrears. She said:
The actual release is ZW$30 billion, which is being processed. For Bulawayo, we have 49 schools and the amount per term is US$703 490 and the total for the three terms is US$2 110 470.
For Harare we have 58 schools that are under BEAM and the total, all in all for Harare for Primary schools is US$18 050 688.
Dinha said Mashonaland Central has 314 schools under BEAM owed US$3 794 226 while Mashonaland East has 12 primary schools that are under BEAM and the total owed is US$158 955.
Mashonaland West has 107 schools under BEAM and the total amount in arrears is US$1 885 410.
She said Matabeleland North has 262 schools under BEAM owed about US$2 036 364, while Matabeleland South has 233 schools owed US$2 388 150 under BEAM.
Manicaland has 669 schools under BEAM and the total in arrears is US$7 350 897 while in Masvingo there are 606 schools under BEAM with arrears totalling US$6 628 986.
Bimha said of the ZWL$50 billion that her Ministry was promised by the Treasury, only ZW$30 billion was availed as cash.
BEAM was launched by the Government in 2001 to assist orphans and vulnerable children. Financing of the programme mainly comes from the Government and development partners.
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