The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative geared toward addressing the shortage of skilled teachers within the country.
It offers monetary guidance to qualified students who need to pursue a teaching qualification in places that are significant for that education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to encourage educating being a occupation by funding college 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 scarcity 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**: Need to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must plan to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a identified South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to display satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Ought to intend to educate in the priority subject area as recognized via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants ought to show a motivation to educating and an understanding of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Process For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are Funza bursary submitted on line with the official Funza Lushaka bursary process (on 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 subsequent calendar year (ordinarily November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes by way of a variety process based on the need for teachers in certain subjects and locations.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and learning materials
- A little stipend for other living expenses
***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.