The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the scarcity of capable teachers in the country.
It provides economic help to suitable students who desire to go after a teaching qualification in areas that are important for the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to promote teaching for a profession by funding college students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected shortage of teachers, for example:
- 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**: Should 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 score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must display satisfactory academic performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must plan to teach within a priority subject area as discovered with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants should demonstrate a determination to teaching and an understanding of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years once they apply.
*** Application Procedure For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net with the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary method (to the Department of Basic Education's focused Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the tip with the academic year and closes early the following year (ordinarily November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by way of a range system determined by the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying materials
- A little 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. here This is known as the "work-back" period.
2. **Service Placement**: The Department of Basic Education will place recipients Funza Lushaka Bursary 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.