The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the shortage of skilled teachers within the country.
It provides economic guidance to qualified students who would like to pursue a teaching qualification in places which are essential with the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to boost teaching to be 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 scarcity of teachers, including:
- 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 plan to enroll or previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a identified South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to present satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Should plan to educate inside a priority subject area as discovered through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants will have to show a motivation to educating and an understanding of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years once they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet from the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary technique (to the Department of Basic Education's focused Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window commonly opens towards the top with the academic 12 months and closes early the next year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of Funza Lushaka Bursary ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a range course of action dependant on the need for teachers in specific subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Books and studying resources
- 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.