The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of competent teachers during the country.

It provides financial support to qualified students who prefer to go after a teaching qualification in places which have been crucial to the education and learning sector.

The Funza Lushaka bursary is built to boost teaching 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 selected lack of teachers, for instance:

- 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 previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a identified South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students will have to clearly show satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Should plan to teach in a priority subject area as identified with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants will have to demonstrate a dedication to teaching and an understanding of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years once they apply. click here

*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:

1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on-line throughout the official Funza Lushaka bursary technique (within the Department of Basic Education's focused website for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the end from the academic yr and closes early the following year (generally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are needed.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes through a range system according to the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.

***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and foods
- Textbooks and learning supplies
- A little stipend for other living costs

***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 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.