The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of certified teachers during the country.
It provides monetary aid to eligible students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in places that happen to be crucial to the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to promote teaching being a occupation by funding university students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected lack 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**: Should 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) in a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to exhibit satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Should plan to teach inside a precedence subject area as recognized from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to exhibit a commitment to educating and an understanding of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Procedure For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line from the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary program (over the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window usually opens towards the tip with the academic calendar year and closes early the following year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified more info copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are demanded.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes via a selection method dependant on the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Guides and studying products
- 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 here 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.