The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative directed at addressing the scarcity of experienced teachers within the country.
It offers financial guidance to eligible students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in locations which can be significant to the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to boost teaching being a career 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 selected shortage of teachers, including:
- 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**: Must intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to show satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to intend to teach inside of a precedence subject area as discovered through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to display a determination Funza Lushaka to educating and an idea of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on line in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary process (to the Department of Basic Education's focused Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window typically opens towards the top of your academic calendar year and closes early the next year (typically November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes via a selection system based on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and areas.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying components
- A small stipend for other living costs
***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 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.