The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the shortage of capable teachers within the country.
It offers financial aid to eligible students who wish to go after a teaching qualification in areas that are significant to the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to boost teaching for a career 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 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**: Have to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should plan to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to exhibit satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must plan to educate in a very priority subject area as determined from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants ought to exhibit a commitment to teaching and an idea of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Process With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web in the official Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (to the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window normally opens towards the top of your academic calendar year and closes early the subsequent calendar year (typically November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by means of a range approach dependant on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying resources
- A small stipend for other living expenditures
***Conditions for Working Back the Bursary:
Upon graduation, bursary recipients are required to:
1. **Teach in get more info 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 click here 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.