By Crime Focus Zimbabwe | Prevent • Protect • Prevail
The Government has issued a strong warning to schools against attaching the property of parents whose children are beneficiaries of the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), saying responsibility for paying those learners’ fees lies with the State. The warning was made by Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Torerayi Moyo, during a Parliamentary Question-and-Answer session following concerns that some schools were sending debt collectors to recover outstanding fees from vulnerable families. According to the Minister, schools must not punish parents whose children are officially covered under BEAM because the programme is designed to protect disadvantaged learners from exclusion due to poverty.
“What is not allowed is to send someone who attaches property to the houses of children whose fees must be paid by BEAM because it is the Government’s responsibility to pay for the children who are under BEAM,” Dr Moyo told Parliament.
The Minister also reiterated that no learner should be sent home for non-payment of school fees or levies, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. Government said it is working on disbursing funds to clear outstanding BEAM arrears, some of which have reportedly affected schools for an extended period. However, Dr Moyo clarified that while schools may engage parents over unpaid fees, any attachment of property can only happen through lawful due process and strictly as a final measure, and not in cases involving BEAM beneficiaries. Public schools have previously been told that debt recovery mechanisms must comply with Zimbabwean law and should only be considered after dialogue and flexible payment arrangements have failed. Recent parliamentary discussions have also highlighted concerns that delayed BEAM payments are placing financial pressure on schools, particularly in rural areas where institutions rely heavily on fees to buy books, maintain infrastructure and support learning activities. Sources: The Herald, 4 August 2026; Parliamentary proceedings reported by Zimpapers.
🛡️ CRIME FOCUS ADVOCACY
Protect vulnerable children, not punish poverty
Education is a constitutional right, and children should never become victims of disputes between schools, parents and Government payment systems. While schools genuinely need resources to operate, vulnerable learners under BEAM must be protected from humiliation, intimidation and unlawful debt recovery practices.
Crime Focus Zimbabwe urges:
- School authorities to verify BEAM beneficiary status before taking any recovery action.
- Parents and guardians to keep copies of BEAM approval letters and communicate openly with school administrations.
- Government departments to improve the efficiency and transparency of BEAM disbursements so that schools are not forced into financial crises.
- Communities and School Development Committees to resolve fee disputes through dialogue rather than confrontation.
📢 PUBLIC AWARENESS
Know your rights
If a child is a registered BEAM beneficiary:
- The learner must not be sent home for unpaid fees.
- Debt collectors should not be sent to attach household property on the basis of fees that are supposed to be covered by BEAM.
- Parents can report unfair treatment to the District Schools Inspector, Provincial Education Director, or the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
Important reminder
For parents who are not under BEAM, schools may still pursue recovery of legitimately owed fees, but this must follow legal procedures, respect citizens’ rights, and avoid victimising learners.
🔍 Crime Focus Zimbabwe Safety Message
“A child’s classroom must never become a battlefield for debt collection. Protect education, protect dignity, protect the future.”
Crime Focus Zimbabwe Prevent • Protect • Prevail 📞 +263 713 889 894 🌐 www.crimefocuszw.co.zw
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