The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the shortage of competent teachers while in the country.
It provides financial guidance to suitable students who desire to go after a teaching qualification in places which are critical for that schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to encourage educating being a profession by funding college students to study for a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a certain 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**: 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) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to exhibit satisfactory educational performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to intend to teach in the priority subject area as identified through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants must display a determination to educating and an comprehension of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted online in the official Funza Lushaka bursary method (over the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window usually opens towards the top in the academic calendar year and closes early the next calendar year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
check here - Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by way of a range procedure based on the need for teachers in specific subjects and places.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Books and learning components
- A small 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.