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Herald Reporter

People living with disabilities have hailed Government for introducing a new initiative under Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) which provide school uniforms and stationery for needy students to improve their welfare.

BEAM covers primary, second and tertiary education.

The improved assistance to low-income members of society, comes as the country is reeling from the ravaging effects of Covid-19.

 Chairman of the National Disability Dialogue Mr Gift Mabhaudhi said Government is doing very well in introducing various policies that promote inclusive education for all.

“It is doing very well,starting this year it means all our children with disabilities can final get a taste of education. Fees and accessibility have been the two major factors why we didn’t see many kids going to school. Through inclusion, we will see less discrimination of disabled persons by non-disabled people.

Through the BEAM programme starting this year, fees will be paid for all students with disabilities, government through its program will pay fees at any accessible school including boarding schools,” he said.

Inclusive education is the most effective way to give all children a fair chance to go to school, learn and develop the skills they need to thrive.

BEAM was set up in 2000 to provide school fees for disadvantaged pupils.

Recently Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Paul Mavima, said Government was working towards ensuring a safe environment for vulnerable children through the Department of Social Development in his ministry.

The 1,5 million children whose fees will be covered by BEAM this year comprise around one third of all schoolchildren, and this is the likely percentage of families in such serious poverty that they cannot afford school fees. 

A lot of families go through a lot of effort and make many sacrifices to ensure children do go to school, but evidence from dropout rates and the like shows that some fail, hence BEAM.

Last year school fees for 859 000 children was paid through BEAM and the Government is targeting 1,5 million this year.

 A third of all schoolchildren will be helped this year as the Government is determined that no child should be denied the opportunity to attend school because of poverty of parents or other reasons.

Children needed to be kept in a safe environment without exposing them to harm or abuse which will resultantly affect their development and so Government was committed to ensuring that all people can realise their constitutional rights and potential through the upholding of dignity and equality for all.