The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the scarcity of qualified teachers inside the country.
It provides financial help to eligible students who desire to pursue a teaching qualification in areas which might be essential to the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to promote educating for 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 certain shortage 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**: Need to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must plan to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a recognized South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to show satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to educate inside a priority subject area as determined via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants should exhibit a motivation to educating and an idea of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years when they apply.
*** Application Process For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web throughout the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window commonly opens towards the tip in the academic year and closes early the subsequent year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a variety procedure depending on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and places.
***What Funza Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Guides and learning resources
- 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 Funza Lushaka 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.