The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the lack of qualified teachers in the country.
It offers monetary assistance to suitable students who would like to pursue a teaching qualification in places that are important to the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to promote educating being 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 specific lack 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 plan to enroll or previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to present satisfactory educational performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to educate in a priority subject area as recognized from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants should reveal a motivation to teaching 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 the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on line throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (over the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window generally opens towards Funza lushaka requirements the tip from the academic 12 months and closes early the following calendar year (usually November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are needed.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application Funza bursary goes via a selection procedure based upon the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and foods
- Books and learning products
- 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**: Funza 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.