The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed toward addressing the lack of skilled teachers within the country.
It provides financial assistance to eligible students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in areas which have been critical with the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to promote teaching as being a occupation 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 certain scarcity of teachers, for example:
- 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 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 must have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to present satisfactory educational performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must intend to educate in a priority subject area as identified because of the Department website of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants ought to demonstrate a determination to teaching and an understanding of its worth in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Process To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net through the official Funza Lushaka bursary technique (on the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the top in the academic 12 months and closes early the subsequent calendar year (usually November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is here offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes as a result of a range process determined by the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Publications and learning elements
- A little 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 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 Funza 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.