The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed at addressing the lack of qualified teachers from the country.
It offers economic assistance to suitable students who wish to pursue a teaching qualification in places that happen to be essential with the schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to encourage educating to be a profession by funding students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a particular 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**: Needs to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a recognized South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants need to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to clearly show satisfactory academic efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Ought to plan to educate in a priority subject area as recognized with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants have to demonstrate a determination to educating and an knowledge of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than 30 years when they apply.
*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web from the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary technique (to the Department of Basic Education's focused Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window generally opens towards the top from the academic year and closes early the subsequent calendar year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes as a result of a selection procedure based on the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Textbooks and learning products
- A small 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 Funza Lushaka 2025 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 Funza lushaka requirements 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.