Buhlebenkosi Nkomo
Government has acknowledged outstanding Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) payments, saying disbursements depend on funds received from Treasury.
The issue was raised in Parliament amid concerns over delayed BEAM payments.
Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Edgar Moyo said BEAM arrears were acknowledged and that the government continued to make payments when funds were received from Treasury.
“BEAM has not been paid for quite some time. However, we continue to pay as we receive money from the Treasury,” Moyo said.
He said the government had received just under ZiG90 million for BEAM during the year, with payments to special schools almost complete.
“For the regular schools, we are not yet close to that level,” he said.
Moyo said BEAM currently covered around 1.5 million learners nationally.
He also said an audit of the programme had been completed after concerns were raised about the targeting of beneficiaries.
“That audit is complete, and a report is being prepared so that we can improve our targeting,” Moyo said.
Government is also developing a social registry intended to improve and digitalise beneficiary targeting.
Moyo said the Ministry of Finance had indicated that it would accelerate BEAM disbursements to reduce arrears.
