The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the lack of skilled teachers within the country.
It provides financial help to eligible students who want to pursue a teaching qualification in areas which have been crucial for the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to promote teaching to be a career by funding 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 lack 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**: Needs to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should intend to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to show satisfactory academic efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to plan to educate in a precedence subject area as determined because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants have to exhibit a motivation to educating and an idea of its importance Funza bursary in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web throughout the official Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (around the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web-site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window generally opens towards the end of your academic calendar year and closes early the following calendar year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes via a range course of action dependant Funza on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and places.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Books Funza bursary and learning materials
- 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.