The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the lack of certified teachers from the country.
It offers monetary aid to eligible students who desire to go after a teaching qualification in areas that are important for the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to boost educating as a profession by funding college students to study to get a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a certain 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**: 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) in a identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to present satisfactory academic performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must plan to teach in a precedence subject area as recognized from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants have to show a determination to teaching and an understanding of its worth in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Procedure For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line in the official Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (within the Department of Basic Education's focused Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window ordinarily opens towards the end in the academic 12 months and closes early the subsequent year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration here are expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes via a variety approach according to the need for teachers in specific subjects and areas.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and more info foods
- Textbooks and learning resources
- A small stipend for more info other living expenses
***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.