The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed at addressing the lack of skilled teachers inside the country.
It offers monetary aid to eligible students who need to pursue a teaching qualification in places that are significant to the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to promote teaching as being a profession by funding college students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected lack of teachers, such as:
- 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**: Has to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to demonstrate satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to plan to teach within a precedence subject area as determined through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to display a determination to educating and an idea of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Process For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet in the official Funza Lushaka bursary method (around the Department of Basic Education's focused Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window usually opens towards the top on the academic year and closes early the subsequent year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by means of a range approach according to the need for teachers in certain subjects and areas.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and foods
- Guides and learning elements
- 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 website 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.