The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative directed at addressing the lack of skilled teachers in the country.
It provides monetary aid to suitable students who prefer to pursue a teaching qualification in areas that are significant for that education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to promote educating for a profession by funding students to study for the 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**: Should intend to enroll or currently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a identified South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to 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**: Must intend to educate in a very priority subject area as determined from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants will have to demonstrate a motivation to educating and an comprehension of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net from the official Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window commonly opens towards the end from the academic calendar year and closes early the following year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by way of a range procedure according to the need for teachers in specific subjects and locations.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and foods
- Books and studying 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 Funza lushaka online application 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 website 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 Funza lushaka status check subject to satisfactory academic performance.