Community members in Rujeko have confronted the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education over what they say are opaque and potentially exclusionary criteria used to select beneficiaries under the Basic Education Assistance Module, warning that vulnerable children risk being locked out of education support.
Transparency International Zimbabwe said residents raised the concerns during a community engagement, questioning how beneficiaries are identified and whether the process is fair.
“Community members are engaging the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, questioning the criteria used to select beneficiaries under the Basic Education Assistance Module ,” TIZ said, adding that residents are “demanding transparency and fairness, saying unclear processes risk excluding deserving and vulnerable children from accessing education support.”
BEAM is designed to cushion children from poor households against school fees, but communities have long complained of politicisation, weak oversight and inconsistent application of eligibility criteria.
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Beyond BEAM, parents and guardians also raised concerns over school practices that increase the financial burden on families, particularly informal charges that fall outside approved fee structures.
“Parents and guardians in Rujeko are also raising concerns over school practices that add financial pressure on families,” TIZ said, citing paid extra lessons and a reported US$5 per child airtime charge imposed on parents so teachers can send schoolwork to learners.
Residents questioned the legality of these costs, asking “whether these costs are approved and which government policies are they using,” TIZ said.
The engagement further highlighted concerns over school uniform enforcement, with community members questioning why some schools allegedly penalise or exclude learners who cannot afford full uniforms, despite government policy discouraging exclusion over uniforms.
“Combined with costs for extra lessons and airtime, residents warned that hidden fees are creating barriers to education and undermining the right of every child to learn,” TIZ said.
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