The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) notes with deep concern revelations in Parliament that the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) has not received funding since 2023. This dereliction of duty has left millions of vulnerable learners stranded, with schools collapsing under the weight of unfunded mandates.
For years, ARTUZ has been raising the alarm on the structural weaknesses of the BEAM model. We have consistently warned that:
BEAM is prone to abuse and corruption, with resources failing to reach the intended beneficiaries.
The Government has chronically underfunded BEAM, leading to repeated arrears and broken promises.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, led by Minister Mthuli Ncube, has neglected its constitutional duty by failing to allocate sufficient, timely resources for children’s education.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has passively allowed this crisis to fester, despite being fully aware of the devastating impact on learners and schools.
The collapse of BEAM is not just a policy failure — it is a constitutional crisis. Section 75 of the Constitution guarantees every child the right to education, yet today, thousands of learners are being turned away, schools are crumbling, and rural communities are left behind.
As ARTUZ, we reiterate our long-standing call for the abandonment of the failed BEAM model. In its place, we propose Education grants for all learners on equity basis— a transparent, sustainable mechanism designed to bridge the widening gap between urban and rural schools, guarantee access for disadvantaged learners, and safeguard the future of Zimbabwe’s children.
We call upon:
Minister Mthuli Ncube to immediately release resources for education, prioritising learners over political expediency.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to actively protect the rights of learners by demanding accountability and rejecting models that have clearly failed.
Education is the cornerstone of development, and no nation can progress while its children are denied the basic right to learn. The continued neglect of BEAM is pushing the education sector into further decline, worsening inequality, and betraying the future of our nation.
ARTUZ remains committed to advocating for free, quality education for all, and will continue to hold the Government accountable until meaningful reforms are realised.