The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the lack of experienced teachers during the country.
It offers monetary guidance to eligible students who wish to go after a teaching qualification in areas which might be crucial for the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to boost teaching as being a career by funding college students to study for 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**: Needs to 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 regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to present satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to intend to teach in a very priority subject area as recognized with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants must exhibit a motivation to educating and an understanding of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty here years after they apply.
*** Application Process For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net in the official Funza Lushaka bursary method (to the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window generally opens towards the end of the academic calendar year and closes early the next year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a selection process depending on the need for teachers in specific subjects and areas.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Publications and learning supplies
- A little 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 Funza Lushaka Bursary 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. Funza Lushaka Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.