The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative directed at addressing the lack of capable teachers from the country.
It provides economic help to eligible students who wish to go after a teaching qualification in locations that are important with the education and learning sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to encourage educating for 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 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**: 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 identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants should have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students must demonstrate satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Should plan to teach in a precedence subject area as identified via the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to reveal a dedication to teaching and an comprehension of its importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Process To the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line from the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary system (over the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window normally opens towards the top from the academic year and closes early the subsequent year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are demanded.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes as a result of a range system based on the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Books more info and studying 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" period.
2. **Service Placement**: Funza Lushaka 2025 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 need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.