The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed toward addressing the lack of skilled teachers in the country.
It offers financial support to eligible students who need to pursue a teaching qualification in areas that happen to be important for that education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to boost educating as being a occupation 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 particular shortage of teachers, for instance:
- 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**: Should be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should plan to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to 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**: Have to intend to educate in the priority subject area as recognized from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants need to reveal a motivation to educating and an understanding of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years once they apply.
*** Application Procedure For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line from the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (over the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window commonly opens towards the top from the academic yr and closes early the next year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are demanded.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes through a selection method dependant on the need for teachers in specific subjects and areas.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and learning components
- A small stipend for other living costs
***Conditions for Working Back the Bursary:
Upon click here 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.