The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the scarcity of experienced teachers while in the country.
It provides financial support to eligible students who need to go after a teaching qualification in places which have been important to the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to boost teaching for a profession by funding college students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected shortage of teachers, for instance:
- 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**: Must be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to clearly show satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to intend to educate in a precedence subject area as discovered because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to exhibit a commitment to educating and an comprehension of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Procedure To website the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted online in the official Funza Lushaka bursary technique (within the Department of Basic Education's focused Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window usually opens towards the tip of the academic 12 months and closes early the subsequent year (typically November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes via a variety system according to the need for teachers in particular subjects and places.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and studying products
- A little stipend for other living costs
***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.