The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the scarcity of certified teachers in the country.
It offers financial aid to qualified students who wish to go after a teaching qualification in areas that are important to the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to promote teaching 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 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**: Must be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must plan to enroll or previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a identified South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must demonstrate satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Must intend to teach in the precedence subject area as discovered from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants have to display a determination to teaching and an understanding of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line with the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (about the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza website Lushaka).
- The applying window generally opens towards the tip on the academic 12 months and closes early the next year (typically November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- here The applying goes by a variety approach based upon the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and areas.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and learning supplies
- 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 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.