By TellZim Reporter
The government of Zimbabwe has disbursed ZiG 40 million (approximately US$1.5 million) to cover arrears for the Basic Education Assistance Model (BEAM) programme, finally addressing a critical shortfall that has plagued schools since 2023.
The payment, announced in a post-cabinet briefing dated September 16, 2025, ends a prolonged period of financial strain that severely stunted development and operations, particularly in rural schools.
“Under the Basic Education Assistance Model, Treasury paid ZiG 40 million in order to address the shortfall which existed since 2023 and will continue to prioritize the payment of BEAM funds,” reads part of the briefing.
Themove is aimed at clearing the debts owed to schools for tuition and examination fees of vulnerable learners under the state scholarship scheme.
The delay in disbursing BEAM funds has been a major point of contention, crippling the administration of many schools. The impact was most acute in rural areas, where a significant proportion of learners depend on the programme and school fee structures are already low. Without these crucial funds, schools were unable to pay for basic supplies, maintain infrastructure, or even cover examination fees, leaving beneficiaries in a precarious position.
However, concerns remain over whether the disbursed amount is sufficient to cover the mounting arrears, which have been eroded by inflation. The ZiG 40 million figure converts to roughly US$1.5 million at the official bank rate, but only about US$1 million on the widely used black market, where the rate hovers around ZiG 38/40 for US$1. This disparity has led to questions about the real value of the payment and its ability to meet the actual debt accumulated over two years.
The prolonged neglect had pushed some school authorities to call for a complete overhaul of the system. In November 2024, a rural school head who spoke to TellZim highlighted the devastating reality on the ground. The head revealed that out of 160 learners, 63 were on BEAM, but even the remaining 97 could scarcely afford fees.
“Last year we had 63 learners out of 160 on BEAM. However, of the hundred who were not on the programme, less than 40 learners could afford to pay at least half of the fees. Total fees per term is US$30, which means last year the fees we received was less than US$2 000,” the head said.
“In this case, what development do you think a school can register with such an amount per year? We urge the government to meet its end of the bargain or abandon the programme if they can’t afford it. Another option is to simply declare free education for all because very few learners are paying,” the head added.
This sentiment echoed across the nation, as the BEAM programme had ceased to be beneficial for both the learners it was designed to protect and the schools struggling to stay afloat. The recent payment, while a welcome step, is being viewed with cautious optimism.
School authorities and analysts alike are waiting to see if this marks a genuine return to consistent funding or is merely a one-off intervention to placate growing discontent. The government’s commitment to “prioritize” future payments will be under intense scrutiny as the new term begins.
