The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of competent teachers in the country.
It offers economic support to suitable students who desire to go after a teaching qualification in locations that are significant for your education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to promote educating as a occupation 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 lack of teachers, like:
- 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 plan 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 need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should clearly show satisfactory academic efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Should intend to teach in the priority subject area as determined because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to reveal a determination to educating and an idea of its great importance in here society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net through the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (over the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the end on the academic calendar year and closes early the subsequent calendar year (typically November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes through a range course of action based upon the need for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and studying elements
- 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 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.