The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative directed at addressing the shortage of certified teachers inside the country.
It provides financial assistance to qualified students who want to go after a teaching qualification in areas that happen to be important for that schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to promote educating for a occupation by funding students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a certain shortage 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**: Must be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should plan to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must show satisfactory educational general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Ought to intend to teach in a priority subject area as discovered through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants need to reveal a dedication to educating and check here an idea of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Process For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary system (within the Department of Basic Education's focused Web-site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window generally opens towards the tip of your academic calendar year click here and closes early the subsequent calendar year (usually November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are needed.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes by a selection method determined by the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and .
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Textbooks and learning products
- 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.