The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative directed at addressing the lack of experienced teachers in the country.
It provides financial support to eligible students who want to go after a teaching qualification in areas which can be essential for that schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to boost teaching like 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 particular shortage of teachers, for example:
- 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**: Must 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) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to display satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to intend to teach in a very precedence subject area as discovered via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants will have to reveal a determination to educating and an comprehension of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years when they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Funza lushaka login On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted online through the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window normally opens towards the top of the academic calendar year and closes early the subsequent calendar 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 given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a selection method depending on the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and locations.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary read more covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and studying supplies
- A little 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 Funza Lushaka 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.