The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the scarcity of experienced teachers while in the country.
It provides financial guidance to suitable students who prefer to go after a teaching qualification in areas that happen to be critical for the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to promote educating to be a occupation by funding college students to study for a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected 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**: Has to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a regarded South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should clearly show satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must intend to educate inside a precedence subject area as identified because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants will have to show a motivation to educating and an understanding of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years once they apply.
*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net through the official Funza Lushaka bursary system (on the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window usually opens towards the end in the academic yr and closes early the following year (typically November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
here - The appliance goes through a selection system according to the need for teachers in specific subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and meals
- Guides and studying materials
- 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 here 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.