The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the lack of certified teachers from the country.
It offers financial help to qualified students who prefer to go after a teaching qualification in areas that are vital to the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to encourage educating being a occupation by funding university students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected lack 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**: Must be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should plan to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to present satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Should plan to educate inside a precedence subject area as identified because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants must display a commitment to educating and an understanding of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Process For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted online with the official Funza Lushaka bursary system (over the Department of Basic Education's focused website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window usually opens towards the top from the academic calendar year and closes early the subsequent calendar year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are demanded.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by way of a selection procedure depending on the need for teachers in specific subjects and .
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and studying supplies
- 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 place recipients in schools where their skills are needed, often in rural or underserved areas.
3. **Failure to Fulfill the here 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.