The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the shortage of certified teachers in the country.
It offers monetary help to suitable students who would like to pursue a teaching qualification in locations which might be crucial with the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to encourage educating like a career by funding college students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a specific scarcity 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**: Need 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 recognized South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to display satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Should intend to educate inside a priority subject area as determined via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants should exhibit a motivation to educating and an idea of its worth in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than 30 years when they apply.
*** Application Process With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted on line throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary process (over the Department of Basic Education's focused Web-site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the end of the academic year 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 Funza expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes by way of a variety method determined by the need for here teachers in specific subjects and areas.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Guides and studying components
- A small stipend read more 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.