The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of qualified teachers in the country.
It provides monetary guidance to suitable students who need to pursue a teaching qualification in locations which have been vital for your schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to boost educating as being a profession by funding college students to study to get a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a particular shortage 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**: Need to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a identified South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to clearly show satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to educate in a very precedence subject area as discovered by the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants have to show a commitment to educating and an understanding of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years once they apply.
*** Application Process To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted online throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary technique (about the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window typically opens towards the end of your academic calendar year and closes early the next year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a range approach 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 products
- A small stipend for other living expenses
***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 Funza the "work-back" period.
2. **Service Placement**: The Department of Basic Education will 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.