The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative directed at addressing the scarcity of experienced teachers during the country.
It offers economic support to eligible students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in locations which might be crucial for your schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to encourage educating as a occupation by funding students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected shortage 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**: 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 general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Should intend to teach within a priority subject area as determined because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants will have to demonstrate a motivation to educating and an comprehension of its worth in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Process For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web throughout the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window typically opens towards the end on the academic yr and closes early the following year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes as a result of a range approach dependant on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and .
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Guides and learning supplies
- A little stipend for other living costs
***Conditions for Working Back the Bursary:
Upon graduation, bursary recipients are required to:
1. **Teach Funza Lushaka 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.