The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the lack of skilled teachers in the country.
It provides monetary assistance to eligible students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in places that happen to be vital for that schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to boost educating to be a career by funding university students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a particular shortage of teachers, including:
- 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**: Must intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to clearly show satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must plan to teach in a precedence subject area as recognized by the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants must exhibit a commitment to teaching and an understanding of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the net Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet in the official Funza Lushaka bursary technique (around the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web-site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window normally opens towards the top of the academic yr and closes early the next calendar year (usually November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes as a here result of a range process determined by the need for teachers in specific subjects and .
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying supplies
- A small 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.