The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the lack of qualified teachers from the country.
It offers economic aid to suitable students who wish to pursue a teaching qualification in areas that are vital for that schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to boost educating as being a occupation by funding students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected scarcity of teachers, for instance:
- 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**: Need to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a identified 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 must clearly show satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must plan to educate in the priority subject area as discovered via the Department of Funza Lushaka Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants should demonstrate a motivation to educating and an understanding of its worth in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years when they apply.
*** Application Procedure For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (on the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window generally opens towards the top from the academic 12 months and closes early the subsequent year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are needed.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by a range process based on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Guides and learning products
- A small 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 Funza Lushaka Bursary teaching after graduation or leaving before completing Funza Lushaka application 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.