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Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has set aside $20 million for the assistance of vulnerable children under the Basic Education Assistance Module (Beam).

It is estimated that over one million children are in need of educational assistance.

Presenting the 2018 national budget last week, Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, said Government was extending assistance to the vulnerable.

“Government availed $1,5 million in 2017 towards payment of examination fees for 18 021 vulnerable children. This programme will be enhanced in the 2018 Budget, with resources amounting to $20 million being set aside to support the Beam programme,” said Minister Chinamasa.

He said according to the Ministry of Labour and Social Services, Beam is funding school fees and examination fees for around 415 900 vulnerable children, against an estimated 1 045 480 in need of educational support.

According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment (ZimVac) committee 2017 Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report, about 50 percent of children in the districts surveyed were not attending school due to financial constraints while pregnancy or early marriage accounted for three percent.

In 2016, the proportion of school going age children not attending school was 34 percent.

Earlier this year, the ZimVac report said 63 percent of pupils were turned away from schools in rural areas over non-payment of school fees during the first term of this year.

The pupils were turned away in defiance of Government’s policy that schools must not chase away pupils over fees, but must deal with parents or guardians.

The ZimVac report on Rural Livelihood said Government should be tough on schools that violate children’s rights to education by turning them away.

“Nationally, at least 63 percent of children were turned away for non-payment of school fees. Generally, the proportion of children who were turned away from school during the first term of 2017 was high in all provinces. This is so despite there being in place a policy that discourages this practice,” reads the report.

ZimVac recommended that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should be strict in ensuring that schools adhere to the stipulated policy.

@AuxiliaK