The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of competent teachers in the country.
It provides monetary aid to eligible students who want to pursue a teaching qualification in locations which might be significant for the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to encourage teaching to be a career by funding 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 intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should show satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Ought to intend to educate inside a precedence subject area as identified because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants ought to show a motivation to educating and an knowledge of its great importance Funza bursary in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years once they apply.
*** Application Procedure For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net through the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (about the website Department of Basic Education's focused Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the top of the academic year and closes early the subsequent calendar year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a range course of action dependant on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and .
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying resources
- 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**: The Department of Basic Education will place recipients in schools where their skills are needed, often get more info 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.