The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the shortage of competent teachers within the country.
It offers monetary assistance to qualified students who want to go after a teaching qualification in areas which can be significant to the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to promote teaching as a occupation by funding college 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, 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**: Need to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Educational 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 should exhibit satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Ought to plan to teach within a priority subject area as determined via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants should exhibit a motivation to teaching and an understanding of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty 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 process (over the Department of Basic Education's focused Web-site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the top of your academic calendar year and closes early the check here subsequent calendar year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are necessary.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes via a selection process according to the need for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying elements
- A small 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 Fulfill the get more info 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.