The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed at addressing the shortage of skilled teachers during the country.
It offers monetary guidance to eligible students who wish to go after a teaching qualification in locations that are critical with the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to boost educating like a career by funding university students to study to get a 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**: Needs to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to clearly show satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to educate inside of a precedence subject area as discovered from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants should show a dedication to website teaching and an knowledge of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years once they apply.
*** Application Process For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet throughout the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (around the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the top with the academic 12 months and closes early the next year (usually November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by way of a variety method determined by the need for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and studying elements
- A small stipend for other living expenditures
***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 academic and other requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.