The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the shortage of capable teachers within the country.
It offers financial support to suitable students who need to go after a teaching qualification in locations that happen to be important for the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to promote educating for a occupation 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 certain 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**: Has to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must plan to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to display satisfactory academic performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Should intend to teach within a priority subject area as recognized with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants must display a commitment to teaching and an knowledge of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line throughout the official Funza Lushaka bursary technique (about the Department of Basic Education's focused Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window commonly opens towards the end from the academic yr and closes early the following year (usually November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to Funza lushaka online application applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes by means of a selection procedure depending on the need for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Funza Lushaka application Textbooks and studying elements
- A little 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 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.