The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the lack of qualified teachers in the country.
It offers monetary guidance to suitable students who want to go after a teaching qualification in locations which might be crucial with the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to promote educating like a career 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 particular scarcity of teachers, which include:
- 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**: Have 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) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to clearly show satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Ought to plan to teach within a precedence subject area as determined by the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to exhibit a motivation to educating and an idea of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years once they apply.
*** Application Funza Process To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (on the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the top of your academic calendar year and closes early the subsequent calendar year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a range system based on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and meals
- Guides and studying components
- 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 here 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.