The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative geared toward addressing the lack of capable teachers while in the country.
It provides monetary assistance to qualified students who wish to pursue a teaching qualification in places which have been vital with the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to promote teaching as being 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 certain 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**: Need 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) at a identified 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 have to clearly show satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to educate inside of a precedence subject area as discovered from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants should exhibit a motivation to teaching and an comprehension of its worth in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years once they apply.
*** Application Procedure To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web from the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary technique (about the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window typically opens towards the end of your academic calendar year and closes early the next year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a range course of action dependant on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and .
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Books and studying products
- A small 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 Funza lushaka requirements 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.