The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative directed at addressing the scarcity of certified teachers from the country.
It offers financial support to qualified students who need to go after a teaching qualification in places which are vital for that schooling sector.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to encourage teaching being a occupation by funding college 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, 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**: Needs to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should 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 need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to display satisfactory educational overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Ought to plan to teach inside of a priority subject area as determined by the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants ought to demonstrate a motivation to educating and an idea of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years after they apply.
*** Application Funza Lushaka 2025 Procedure For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:
1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the net in the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary system (within the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the top of your academic calendar year and closes early the subsequent year (typically 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 appliance goes via a range system dependant on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and places.
***What Does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Publications and learning components
- A small Funza Lushaka Bursary 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**: 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 Funza 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.