The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of qualified teachers in the country.
It offers monetary help to qualified students who desire to go after a teaching qualification in areas which are significant for that education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to encourage educating as 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, including:
- 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 plan to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to display satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Should intend to teach in a very precedence subject area as identified through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants have to display a determination to educating and an understanding of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be more info older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line with the official Funza Lushaka bursary system (on the Department of Basic Education's focused Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window normally opens towards the end of the academic calendar year and closes early the subsequent year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes via a range approach determined by the need for teachers in particular subjects and areas.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Books and learning materials
- more info 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 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.