The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the lack of skilled teachers inside the country.

It offers financial guidance to eligible students who would like to go after a teaching qualification in areas that are essential with the education sector.

The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to promote teaching for 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 selected shortage of teachers, including:

- 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**: Should plan to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should demonstrate satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to teach inside of a priority subject area as determined from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to exhibit a motivation to teaching and an knowledge of its relevance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than 30 years once they apply.

*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:

1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line with the official Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (over the Department of Basic Education's focused Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window ordinarily opens towards the top with the academic 12 months and closes early the next year (generally 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 application goes through a range approach based upon the need for teachers in certain subjects and places.

***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Books and studying components
- A small stipend for other living costs

***Conditions for Working Back the Bursary:
Upon graduation, bursary recipients are required to:

1. **Teach in a get more info 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 requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.