The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the shortage of experienced teachers from the country.
It offers monetary help to suitable students who need to go after a teaching qualification in areas which might be vital for the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to promote teaching as being a profession by funding university students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a specific shortage of teachers, which include:
- 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**: Have 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 regarded South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must present satisfactory academic performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to educate in a very precedence subject area as determined because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to reveal a determination to educating and an comprehension of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary program (on the Department of Basic Education's focused Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window generally opens towards the end with the academic yr and closes early the subsequent year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are demanded.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural check here or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by means of a variety process based upon the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Guides and learning supplies
- A small stipend for other living costs
***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.