The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the lack of competent teachers within the country.
It offers economic support to suitable students who wish to pursue a teaching qualification in places that are essential for your education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to boost teaching as a occupation by funding university students to study to get a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected shortage of teachers, which include:
- 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**: Should intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a recognized South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must clearly show satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to teach inside a priority subject area as identified with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants should reveal a determination to educating and an understanding 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. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are check here submitted on the internet from the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (around the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The website application window commonly opens towards the tip with the academic year and closes early Funza lushaka login the following calendar year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes via a selection procedure based upon the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and locations.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and studying products
- 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.