The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the shortage of certified teachers during the country.
It provides economic help to suitable students who want to go after a teaching qualification in places that are essential for the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to promote teaching to be a profession by funding university students to study for a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a specific lack of teachers, including:
- 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**: Must intend to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to display satisfactory academic efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to intend to teach inside a priority subject area as recognized with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants have to display a determination website to educating and an idea of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on line in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary process (to the Department of Basic Education's focused Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window normally opens towards the end of the academic year and closes early the subsequent year (ordinarily November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by a variety method depending on the need for teachers in certain subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Books and studying 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.