Energy minister and Mazowe South legislator Fortune Chasi (Zanu PF) has paid tuition fees for 1 200 pupils from underprivileged families in his constituency as the community bears the brunt of the closure of Jumbo Mine. BY SIMBARASHE SITHOLE Chasi deposited $146 000 into Mazowe Primary School’s CBZ account for second term fees to enable pupils to attend lessons when schools open at the end of this month. The school head Archibald Tanda confirmed receipt of payment. “We received school fees for 1 200 pupils from our honourable MP, the fees for the second term,” Tanda said. Many parents and guardians formerly employed at Jumbo Mine are failing to send their children to school since the closure of the mine. Zanu PF youth and former Mazowe Primary School school development committee chairperson Peter Mangisa said they approached their legislator for help. “After the closure of the mine many of us have been struggling to pay fees for our children and we implored our MP to come to our rescue and he complied,” he said. “We understand the government’s (Basic Education Assistance Module) BEAM programme caters for the less-privileged, but due to the shrinking economy our children are now falling in the same category so we really appreciate the generosity of our legislator.” Last year, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube released $140 million towards BEAM which was heavily indebted with up to $65 million in arrears. The BEAM programme provides assistance to close to 500 000 disadvantaged children.