The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of certified teachers in the country.
It provides financial guidance to suitable students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in locations which might be significant for that education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to promote teaching as a occupation 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 specific lack 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**: Has to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should plan to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must clearly show satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to educate inside a precedence subject area as identified through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants have to show a motivation to teaching and an understanding of its worth in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years when they apply.
*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary technique (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window generally opens towards the end of the academic year and closes early the subsequent year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes as a result of a selection system based upon the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and areas.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Textbooks and studying resources
- A little 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 more info 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 Funza bursary 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.