The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative directed at addressing the scarcity of skilled teachers within the country.
It provides economic assistance to qualified students who need to go after a teaching qualification in areas that are vital for that education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to promote teaching like a occupation by funding college students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a certain scarcity of teachers, for example:
- 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**: 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 need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must clearly show satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to intend to educate inside a precedence subject area as recognized from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants need to demonstrate a motivation to educating and an comprehension of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted online throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary system (within the Department of Basic Education's focused Web-site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window generally opens towards the tip of your academic 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 expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes through a selection procedure determined by the need for teachers in specific subjects and areas.
***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying products
- A little 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 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 Funza lushaka status check need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.