The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the shortage of competent teachers within the country.
It offers financial aid to qualified students who want to go after a teaching qualification in areas which can be critical to the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to promote educating as a occupation 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, such as:
- 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 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 ought to show satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must intend to teach in a very precedence subject area as identified from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants have to reveal a commitment to teaching and an idea of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than 30 years once they apply.
*** Application Process To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (on the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The application 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 proof of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes by means of a selection process according to the need for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation Funza bursary and meals
- Books and studying resources
- 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 Funza 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.