The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the lack of certified teachers from the country.
It provides monetary guidance to qualified students who want to pursue a teaching qualification in areas which might be essential for the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to boost teaching like a profession by funding university 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 instance:
- 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**: Need to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must plan to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to display satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to educate within a precedence subject area as identified via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants ought to demonstrate a commitment to teaching and an idea of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years once they apply.
*** Application Process For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line with the official Funza Lushaka bursary process Funza (over the Department of Basic Education's focused Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the tip with the academic calendar year and closes early the subsequent calendar year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic 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 range course of action according to the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and foods
- Guides and learning products
- A little stipend for other living expenses
***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.