The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed toward addressing the scarcity of qualified teachers within the country.
It provides economic aid to suitable students who need to go after a teaching qualification in locations that are critical with the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to promote educating for a career by funding 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 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**: Needs 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 regarded South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission 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 recognized by the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants should reveal a dedication to educating and an knowledge of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Process With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net in the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (to the Department of Basic Education's focused Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window commonly opens towards the top of the academic yr and closes early the next year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by means of a variety approach dependant on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Publications and studying products
- 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 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 Funza to satisfactory academic performance.