By Fanuel James
Government is stalling payment of US$98 million owed to schools under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), insisting it will not clear the arrears until a special audit is completed.
The debt, which has accumulated between 2023 and 2025, is part of a wider pile of expenditure arrears that Treasury has failed to settle under its Expenditure Arrears Clearance Strategy (2026-2030).
Finance Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa told the National Assembly on Wednesday that Treasury would deliberately slow payments pending verification of beneficiaries.
“Treasury has noted the concerns regarding the accumulation of BEAM arrears.
“The current stock of outstanding obligations primarily relates to the 2023 to 2025 period, totaling US$98 million,” Mnangagwa said.
Mnangagwa was responding to Luveve-Emakhandeni MP Discent Bajila.
Bajila had demanded timelines for clearing BEAM arrears which now date back to 2017.
Mnangagwa said Cabinet had resolved that no full payment would be made before an independent audit.
He cited alleged manipulation of the beneficiary system.
“There are well-grounded concerns that the system for identifying vulnerable beneficiaries is being manipulated by those with influence and leverage.
“Preliminary information suggests that a significant portion of the current BEAM beneficiary list may not comprise deserving cases.
“Many genuinely needy pupils are being excluded.”
He said Treasury payments would continue “at a slow pace” with only special schools prioritised.
Phases In Debt Payment
The audit is Phase One of Treasury’s arrears strategy presented to Parliament in November 2025.
“This exercise is expected to be completed within the 2026 financial year.
“(It) will verify the legitimate beneficiaries, while establishing the accurate, non-contested arrears figure,” Mnangagwa said.
Actual clearance will only come in Phase Two.
It cover from 2027 to 2030, subject to fiscal space, even though BEAM is classified as Category 1 priority due to its social impact.
This means schools that enrolled vulnerable children on Government’s promise will wait at least another year for verification and up to four years for full payment.
Treasury had been struggling to contain accumulating domestic arrears over the past years.
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