The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed toward addressing the shortage of certified teachers during the country.
It provides financial guidance to qualified students who want to go after a teaching qualification in areas which might be vital to the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to promote teaching as a career 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 specific shortage of teachers, which include:
- 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**: Should plan to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Educational 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 show satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to plan to teach in the priority subject area as recognized because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. Funza Lushaka application **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants have to demonstrate a dedication to teaching and an knowledge of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted online with the official Funza Lushaka bursary method (around the Department of Basic Education's focused website for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window usually opens towards the top with the academic calendar year and closes early the following year (generally November to January).
2. more info **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes by a range approach dependant on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- 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., more info 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.