The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative directed at addressing the lack of experienced teachers while in the country.
It provides economic support to eligible students who need to pursue a teaching qualification in places that are important to the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to boost teaching being a career by funding students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a specific lack of teachers, like:
- 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**: Needs 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 identified South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should present satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to teach inside a priority subject area as discovered through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to show a dedication to teaching and an idea of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net throughout the official Funza Lushaka bursary process (within the Department of Basic Education's focused Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the tip of the academic 12 months and Funza lushaka status check closes early the following year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by a range process dependant on the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary get more info covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and learning resources
- 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, website 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.