Sunday News
11 July 2010
By Nobuhle Nyoni
In a clear case of double standards, some schools in Bulawayo have reportedly been receiving tuition fees from both the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) and charity organisations for the same pupils amid reports that more schools could be involved in the scandal, Sunday News can disclose.
According to sources, two schools that have been investigated, Mpumelelo and Gampu Primary in Mpopoma, have been receiving tuition fees from both institutions since the beginning of the year for 13 and 12 pupils respectively.
Sunday News is in possession of the list of students whose fees were paid by the charity organisation yet the same names also appear on the BEAM list for 2010.
The source revealed that the Mpumelelo and Gampu school heads were well aware that the institutions have been receiving the money for the students from both BEAM and the charity organisation.
“The two school heads have been aware of what is going on but are doing nothing about it. I have with me a list of 25 students who are paid for by both BEAM and our organisation and the schools are aware of that. If the students are under BEAM then the school should advise us so that we stop paying and what is suprising is that they are demanding money for school fees,’’ said an official from the organisation.
However, the headmistress of Mpumelelo, Ms Patricia Chibelu, refuted the allegations levelled against the school and swore that nothing of the sort was happening at the school.
“There is nothing like that happening at the school and nothing of the sort could happen. What happens is that the money for BEAM is paid directly to the bank and organisations also pay directly to the school account,’’ she said.
She said some of the children whose fees were being paid by charity organisations were put under beam as the organisation was failing to pay for them.
Ms Chibelu accused the organisation of coming up with fake documents as the school was the only institution in possession of the list of students who were on BEAM.
The headmistress of Gampu primary, a Mrs Masola, also dismissed the allegations.
“There is nothing like that happening at the school, we can never accept fees from two organisations for the same students. That is unheard of,’’ she said before cutting the phone.
The source said that clearly demonstrated the corruption that was taking place within the school system.
“Gampu primary is also doing the same thing as the organisation is paying for 12 students who are on the BEAM list. The heads of these two schools have a case to answer. I can say that there are other schools that are doing the same thing. We are doing our investigations to unearth whatever is happening,’’ she said.
It has also emerged that more schools could be involved in the scam leaving many wondering where the extra money goes.
The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, condemned the practice, saying schools were not allowed to receive fees from two organisations.
“The schools should not be receiving money from BEAM and the charity organisation, no child should have their fees paid in double,’’ he said.
He said BEAM was meant to assist students who had no other means of paying tuition fees.
Mpumelelo primary was in the limelight a few weeks ago for operating a private preschool for grade zeros in which the school head was also implicated.
BEAM authorities have of late argued that the process was thorough and that there was no room for cheating.
The programme was reintroduced last year to assist vulnerable children in the country in paying their tuition fees both at primary and secondary levels.