The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the scarcity of competent teachers while in the country.
It offers economic guidance to eligible students who wish to go after a teaching qualification in places that are vital for that schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to encourage teaching as a career by funding students to study for a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a particular 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**: Has to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should plan to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must show satisfactory educational performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Should intend to educate within a priority subject area as recognized via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to show a dedication to teaching and an idea of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years when they apply.
*** Application Process For that Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web through the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary method (to the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying Funza lushaka status check window normally opens towards the top of your academic year and closes early the following year (usually 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 by means of a selection system based on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and meals
- Publications and learning materials
- A little 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 Funza Lushaka Bursary 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 click here to meet the academic and other requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.