The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed at addressing the scarcity of competent teachers in the country.
It provides economic help to qualified students who wish to pursue a teaching qualification in areas that are vital for that education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to boost teaching as being 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 certain scarcity 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**: Have to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to clearly show satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must plan to teach in a very priority subject area as identified via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants have to demonstrate a motivation to teaching and an idea of its worth in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Procedure For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web with the official Funza Lushaka bursary process (on the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window usually opens towards the tip on the academic calendar year and closes early the following year (typically November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by way of a variety course of action according to website the need for teachers in certain subjects and .
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying materials
- A little stipend for other living expenditures
***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 here performance.