The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed at addressing the scarcity of experienced teachers within the country.
It offers monetary guidance to qualified students who would like to pursue a teaching qualification in areas that happen to be vital to the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to promote educating for a occupation 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 particular lack 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**: Has to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to exhibit satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to educate within a precedence subject area as discovered through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants must exhibit a motivation to educating and an understanding of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Process To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary system (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window generally opens towards the tip with the academic calendar year and closes early website the subsequent here year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are demanded.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by a variety method based upon the need for teachers in specific subjects and .
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and meals
- Guides and learning supplies
- 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.