The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative geared toward addressing the scarcity of capable teachers in the country.
It offers economic support to eligible students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in areas that happen to be crucial to the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to promote teaching as a profession by funding students to study for any 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**: Should intend to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must clearly show satisfactory educational general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to teach in the precedence subject area as discovered through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants need to show a commitment to educating and an comprehension of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window usually 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 necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes through a range system based on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying components
- A little 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 here 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.