The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of qualified teachers within the country.
It offers monetary support to qualified students who want to go after a teaching qualification in areas which are vital to the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to promote educating as a career by funding students to study to get a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a specific shortage of teachers, which include:
- 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 previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a recognized South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should demonstrate satisfactory educational performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to teach in a precedence subject area as discovered through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants ought to reveal a commitment to teaching and an knowledge of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Procedure For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the Funza Lushaka internet throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary technique (to the Department of Basic Education's focused Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window commonly opens towards the top with the academic 12 months and closes early the next calendar year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are needed.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes through a range system dependant on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- 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 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 Funza Lushaka 2025 requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.