The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of competent teachers in the country.
It provides economic help to suitable students who want to go after a teaching qualification in areas that are crucial for that education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to promote teaching for a career 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 selected shortage of teachers, including:
- 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**: Should intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a identified South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to exhibit satisfactory educational performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to intend to teach in the precedence subject area as determined because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to reveal a determination to educating and an idea of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web from the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the end in the academic yr and closes early the following year (usually November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes via a variety process dependant on the need for teachers in certain subjects and areas.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and studying supplies
- 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 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 check here academic and other requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.