The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the scarcity of qualified teachers within the country.
It provides economic guidance to eligible students who wish to go after a teaching qualification in locations which have been important to the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to encourage educating for a profession by funding university 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, like:
- 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 plan to enroll or previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a recognized South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to clearly show satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to intend to teach in the precedence subject area as discovered by the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to display a determination to educating and an idea of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants 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 the internet from the official Funza Lushaka bursary method (on the Department of Basic Education's focused Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window commonly opens towards the tip of the academic 12 months and closes early the next calendar year (typically November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by a selection system based upon the need for teachers in particular subjects and .
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Textbooks 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 here "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 check here 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.