You Can Submit An Application For The Funza Lushaka Bursary If You Want To Study To Become A Teacher
The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed at addressing the scarcity of certified teachers while in the country.
It offers monetary guidance to qualified students who wish to pursue a teaching qualification in areas which can be critical for the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to encourage educating as a career 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 particular lack of teachers, such as:
- 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**: Must be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must plan to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a regarded South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to clearly show satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to educate within a precedence subject area as recognized via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to reveal a commitment to teaching and an comprehension of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years once they apply.
*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet from the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary system (around the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window commonly opens towards the top of your academic calendar year and closes early the following year (usually 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 via a selection procedure based upon the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition Funza Lushaka service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and learning components
- A small stipend for other living expenditures
***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" website 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 Funza 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.