BEAM keeps 1,5m learners in school

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke-Senior Reporter

MORE than 1,5 million vulnerable children in Zimbabwe are now able to access basic education through BEAM, the Government’s Basic Education Assistance Module.

The Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment, which is conducted every year by the Zimbabwe Livelihood Assessment Committee (ZimLAC), a consortium of Government, UN agencies, NGOs and international organisations chaired by the Food and Nutrition Council, plays a key role in guiding programmes like BEAM by identifying vulnerable people and understanding the challenges they face to inform policy formulation and targeted interventions.

ZimLAC is currently undertaking the rural livelihoods assessment in all 60 districts and chiefs, who are part of the key informants in the survey, have hailed the interventions that have come as a result of prior assessments.

In Shamva, Chief Nyamaropa, Tivaringe Munyaradzi, said the BEAM programme was providing a lifeline for many families.

“Each year, Government comes in with programmes that are aimed at improving the livelihoods of its people and as chiefs, we make sure that these get to everyone. 

“This year everyone is affected by the drought, so we are all vulnerable. We have been receiving food aid and we always monitor how these food distributions are rolled out in communities. We recently received 12 tonnes for Ward 10 and we are going to make sure that food gets to all the vulnerable people in the community,” he said.

In Goromonzi, Chief Rusike, Aaron Muchenje Mashawe, said BEAM was among the many programmes that Government had brought to his area in response to challenges faced by communities.

Rusike High School has more than 300 children enrolled under BEAM and the school’s deputy headmaster Mr Farai Nyautarizi said this was a positive development for the community.

“BEAM has really made an impact in this community. If you look at this school, we have a lot of children who were under BEAM and finished their A levels and passed well. Right now the programme is assisting over 300 students. It is paying for their fees as well as exam fees because without BEAM, these students would not be in school. On top of BEAM we also have the schools feeding programme which is helping our students perform better in school, particularly now when many families are food insecure,” he said.

Villagers expressed their gratitude to Government for responding to their needs. Said Mrs Rejoice Magwaza: “We thank Government for the interventions they are making through ZimLAC because they have responded to most of the requests we have made over the years which also include building of schools and clinics. 

 The Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment programme gives the Government an opportunity to effectively address the needs of its people.

While waiting for latest information and evidence from the 2024 Rural Assessment, Government has already put in motion food distribution to all vulnerable households across the country and has also implemented various mitigation strategies that include supplementary grain importation, drilling more boreholes under the Presidential Input Scheme to ensure people have adequate water supply.