Call for more Beam funds

committee recommends Treasury to clear the debt as it affects the running of the institutions.

“The Committee also noted that although scholarships are now under the responsibility of a newly created ministry for scholarships, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development still needs to clear outstanding scholarship issues, including ensuring that all outstanding stipends and agreements are honoured,” said Dr Mataruse.

He also called on the Government to upgrade some local universities to international standards so that parents send their children to local universities.

He added that Government should also ensure efficient control and financial accountability systems to the ministry’s statutory bodies such as colleges, universities, Zimdef and other specialised projects to limit leakage of resources.

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, who is also MP for Mudzi West Cde Magna Mudyiwa, said critical child welfare programmes were seriously being underfunded.

“Although $20 million was allocated to Beam, which was a 100 percent increase from the allocation of the previous year 2017, the amount falls short of the $120 310 828 required to sustain the programme.

“Cumulative arrears incurred under this programme over the years 2015 to 2017 now stand at $87 million,” said Cde Mudyiwa.

In addition the programme for children under the difficult circumstances was allocated $500 000 against a required budget of $1.5 million.

“Furthermore, only $50 000 compared to a requirement US$100 000 has been allocated for children on the streets. This will adversely affect that social programme.

“We are therefore, recommending that the budget allocates adequate financial resources towards the support programmes for our vulnerable children,” said Cde Mudyiwa.

Presenting a report on the Ministry of Education, Sports and Recreation, Bindura North MP Cde Kenneth Musanhi said the ministry is directly responsible for one third of the population’s education in Zimbabwe, yet the budget does not seem to show that responsibility.

“If you look at the budget that was allocated to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, you find that 93 percent of the budget is going towards the employment payments, leaving seven percent of the budget for capital expenditure.

“The teacher to pupil ratio is always going high. Funding burden is given to NGOs and parents. So, this must be looked at on the budget so that it could be revised towards looking at how important the ministry is,” said Cde Musanhi. — @pamelashumba1