The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative directed at addressing the lack of qualified teachers during the country.
It provides financial guidance to eligible students who wish to go after a teaching qualification in areas which are significant to the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to boost teaching to be a profession by funding university 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 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**: Should be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should plan to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should clearly show satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Should intend to teach in a very precedence subject area as identified with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants must exhibit a determination to teaching and an understanding of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on line through the official Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (within the Department of Basic Education's focused Web-site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window normally opens towards the end of the academic yr and closes early the following calendar year (ordinarily November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by a range process depending on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary here covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying supplies
- A small 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 more info 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 read more 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.