The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the shortage of competent teachers within the country.
It offers financial support to suitable students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in places that are important for your education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to boost educating being a profession by funding college students to study for a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a certain 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**: Should plan to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a recognized South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to demonstrate satisfactory educational performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to educate inside of a priority subject area as identified through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to demonstrate a dedication to teaching and an knowledge of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years once they apply.
*** Application Procedure For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted online with the official Funza Lushaka bursary method (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the tip in the academic year and closes early the subsequent year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are demanded.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes via a variety process dependant on the need for teachers in particular subjects and places.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and foods
- Guides and learning components
- 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. 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 Funza Lushaka application performance.