Get help with school fees (BEAM) in Zimbabwe

What you'll usually need

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Your child's birth certificate
Your national ID card, or the guardian's
Any papers that show your situation, such as a parent's death certificate if your child is an orphan

Ask the head at your child's school whether BEAM selection is open and how to apply. BEAM applications should be announced publicly and handed in through the school. If your child isn't in school, ask at the school you want them to attend, or at your district Social Development office.
A community selection committee at the school ranks children by need. Its members are the head, teachers, parents and community leaders. Orphans come first, but children whose parents can't afford school can also be chosen if there is room in the school's allocation.
The school sends the BEAM forms for the chosen children to the district Social Development office. Ask the head whether your child is on the list.
If your child is selected, BEAM pays tuition and levies to the school, and exam fees to ZIMSEC. Government payments are often late. Before the exam registration deadline, ask the school to confirm that your child has been entered for the exams.
While BEAM money is late, the school must not send your child away. In April 2026 the Education Minister told Parliament that BEAM pupils must never be turned away while the government pays what it owes.
If you think selection was unfair, or your child was left out, raise it with the district Social Development office. You can also call the Ministry's toll-free line on Call 1980.

BEAM is for children at risk of dropping out because of hardship, and for children who have never been to school. It also pays boarding fees for children with special needs at registered special schools.
Payments to schools are often late. In 2026, schools were still owed money from as far back as 2023. The government has also said it is considering moving BEAM to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. Ask the school and your district office for the latest news.
In 2026, education officials said some selection committees were choosing their own relatives instead of the neediest children. Children should be chosen by need only. If you see this happen, report it to the district Social Development office.