The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the lack of skilled teachers during the country.
It provides economic help to qualified students who want to go after a teaching qualification in places which might be essential for the education sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is meant to promote teaching as a profession by funding university students to study to get 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**: Should plan to enroll or previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to present satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to teach in a priority subject area as discovered through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants must exhibit a motivation to educating and an understanding of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years when they apply.
*** Application Process For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line with the official Funza Lushaka bursary technique (to the Department of Basic Education's focused Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window ordinarily opens towards the end from the academic year and closes early the next year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes via a selection procedure determined by the need for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and learning materials
- 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.