The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the shortage of competent teachers within the country.
It offers monetary assistance to qualified students who desire to go after a teaching qualification in locations which might be crucial for that education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to promote educating as being a career 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 particular scarcity of teachers, such as:
- 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 intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a recognized South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to show satisfactory academic 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 educating and an understanding of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants more info shouldn't be older than thirty years once they apply.
*** Application Procedure For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted online through the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (about the Department of Basic Education's focused Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the end of the academic year and closes early the subsequent calendar year (ordinarily November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes via a selection process depending on the need for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- 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 here 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.