MP Bajila Warns Schools Against Sending BEAM Students Home Over Fees

9 June 2025

By Andile Vundla

Member of Parliament (MP) for Emakhandeni-Luveve constituency Honourable Discent Bajila, has strongly condemned the practice of sending students supported by the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) home from school due to unpaid fees stating that such actions are illegal and punishable under the law.

Speaking at a recent youth-led advocacy meeting, MP Bajila highlighted the operational challenges schools face due to outstanding fees, emphasizing that despite these difficulties, denying BEAM-registered students access to education by sending them home is a “criminal offence.”

“Though unpaid school fees dues disturb the operations of a school,” Bajila asserted, “sending students back home who are under BEAM for failure of paying fees is a criminal offence which can be punishable, and whoever is doing and whichever school is doing it they are just against the law”

Honourable Bajila’s remarks comes amidst ongoing concerns about the BEAM program’s financial standing. It has emerged that BEAM is currently in arrears with its payments to schools, with the last payment reportedly made in 2022.

This backlog has undoubtedly placed a strain on school finances, leading some institutions to resort to drastic measures like sending students home.

However, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has consistently reiterated that no child under BEAM should be excluded from school due to delayed government disbursements.

While the government has acknowledged the challenges in timely disbursement of BEAM funds, attributing them to fiscal constraints, it has also committed to addressing these arrears. Minister of Finance and Economic development Honourable Mthuli Ncube, in previous parliamentary sessions, admitted to significant outstanding BEAM debts and stated efforts were underway to clear them, though resource limitations remain a challenge.