The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed at addressing the scarcity of skilled teachers within the country.
It provides financial assistance to qualified students who desire to pursue a teaching qualification in places which can be essential for that education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to boost 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, which include:
- 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 already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must show satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to teach inside of a precedence subject area as identified because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants must display a determination to teaching and an comprehension of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Process To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet with the official Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window usually opens towards the end of your academic year and closes early the following year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence Funza bursary of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by way of a variety procedure depending on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and learning 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 get more info teaching after graduation or leaving before completing Funza 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.