The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the scarcity of competent teachers inside the country.
It provides monetary guidance to qualified students who desire to go after a teaching qualification in places which might be essential for your education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to boost teaching being 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 certain shortage 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**: Needs to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must display satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to intend to educate in a very priority subject area as identified from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants will have to exhibit a motivation to teaching and an understanding of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years when they apply.
*** Application Process With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted online from the official Funza Lushaka bursary system (on the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web-site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window ordinarily opens towards the tip of your academic yr and closes early the next calendar year (commonly here November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes through a variety process determined by the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Textbooks and learning materials
- 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 here or leaving before Funza 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.