The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the shortage of competent teachers within the country.
It offers financial aid to eligible students who need to pursue a teaching qualification in locations that happen to be crucial for that education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to boost teaching for a career by funding college students to study for a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a particular scarcity of teachers, which include:
- Mathematics
- Physical Science
- Technology
- Languages (especially African languages)
- Early Childhood Development
- Foundation Phase Teaching
*** Who Qualifies For The Bursary?
To be eligible for the Funza Lushaka bursary, applicants must meet the following criteria:
1. **Citizenship**: Should be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must plan to enroll or previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a recognized South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must demonstrate satisfactory educational general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must intend to teach within a priority subject area as recognized with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to reveal a determination to educating and an idea of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Process For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary technique (about the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window usually opens towards the top of your academic 12 months and closes early the next year (usually November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by a variety method based upon the need for teachers in specific subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and learning elements
- A small stipend for other living expenditures
***Conditions for Working Back the Bursary:
Upon graduation, bursary recipients are required to:
1. **Teach in a Public School**: Recipients must work as teachers in a public school for the same number of years that they received the bursary. This is known as the "work-back" period.
2. **Service Placement**: The Department of Basic Education will check here place recipients in schools where their skills are needed, often in rural or underserved areas.
3. **Failure to Fulfill the Obligation**: If the recipient fails to meet the work-back obligation (e.g., not teaching after graduation or leaving before completing the required service), they will be required to repay the bursary amount in full, with interest.
***Renewal of the Bursary:
The bursary is renewable annually, provided the student continues to meet the academic and other requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.