The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative targeted at addressing the shortage of qualified teachers from the country.
It offers economic help to qualified students who desire to pursue a teaching qualification in locations that are essential for your education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to promote educating like a career 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 particular 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**: Need to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should demonstrate satisfactory educational performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to intend to teach within a priority subject area as recognized with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants have to exhibit a motivation to teaching and an knowledge of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years once they apply.
*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted online in the official Funza Lushaka bursary method (on the Department of Basic Education's focused Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window normally opens towards the top on the academic year and closes early the next calendar year (typically 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 application Funza Lushaka goes as a result of a selection approach depending on the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and areas.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and studying materials
- 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.