Expansion of BEAM in pipeline

Source: Expansion of BEAM in pipeline – herald

Farirai Machivenyika

Senior Reporter

THE Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) has been reaffirmed as a crucial programme for supporting disadvantaged children across Zimbabwe, with no cap on the number of beneficiaries, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Dr Torerayi Moyo, has said.

Speaking in a Senate question-and-answer session yesterday, Dr Moyo said: “BEAM is meant to assist all disadvantaged children to go to school, beginning from Early Childhood Development up to Advanced Level.”

He reiterated the Government’s commitment to education, saying President Mnangagwa has directed that all children of school-going age should be in school.

Dr Moyo said there was a push to expand BEAM support to university-level students, indicating a broader vision for educational assistance.

To prevent school dropouts, the Ministry has implemented an early warning system designed to identify vulnerable children.

“Some of the signs the teachers have been trained to look out for include identifying pupils who are consistently late for school and regularly absent,” he explained, emphasising the importance of proactive measures.

Learners who have dropped out of school for various reasons are being encouraged to come back.

Presently, over one million learners are benefiting from BEAM across the country, reflecting the programme’s significant impact.

Through BEAM, the Government is determined to ensure that educational support reaches all disadvantaged children, reinforcing the belief that education is a fundamental right for every child.