1. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) wishes to announce the availability of 66 extraordinary Funza Lushaka Bursaries for the 2014 academic year to Grade 12 learners who intend studying towards a formal teaching qualification.

2. The National Development Plan 2030 recommends that new teachers be attracted and states "that bursary programmes for continuing professional development can improve the quality of teaching and help to attract and retain teachers."

3. The national Department of Basic Education (DBE) has a bursary programme called the Funza Lushaka Programme which provides high-achieving individuals with full-cost bursaries to cover tuition fees, accommodation with meals, a textbook allowance, notes and laboratory fees (where applicable), and as well as a monthly stipend to cover basic living expenses.

4. The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a multi-year programme that was launched in 2007 to promote teaching in public schools as the career of choice for able and committed South Africans. The programme is run locally at four (4) higher education institutions (HEI’s) in the Western Cape, i.e. the University of the Western Cape, the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

5. In 2012, the DBE introduced a district-based recruitment programme targeting learners from rural and poor communities (Quintiles 1 to 3 schools) to assist them to access the Funza Lushaka Bursaries. The WCED will, therefore, award these 66 extraordinary bursaries only to students who are willing to teach at schools in the rural areas, taking into account the needs of their rural education districts.

6. Awarding of the bursary is subject to the following conditions:

  1. The programme will fund students who wish to specialise in the Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3) or who intend to study for a B Ed degree, specialising in Mathematics and/or Science.

  2. The bursary is awarded for one academic year at a time and, upon proof of academic success, may be renewed each year until the recipient of the bursary has qualified as a teacher.

  3. The bursary holder will be required to reapply by the end of October of each year for the following year.

  4. On completion of the course of study, the bursary holder will be required to teach at a school in the rural area in which he or she currently lives for a period of one year for every year for which they have received a bursary.

  5. A copy of the applicant's 2012 Grade 11 results must be submitted with the initial application.
7. Prospective applicants must also apply for admission to and must meet the admission requirements of the various HEIs named in paragraph 4 here above. The bursaries will be awarded on merit by the selection committee at the WCED Head Office in Cape Town, based on the following minimum academic criteria:

  1. An "admission to a Bachelor's degree studies" pass at Grade 12 level

  2. At least a Level 4 pass, or at least a 50% pass in the subject in which the applicant will specialise in the B Ed course

  3. Students who wish to specialise in the Foundation Phase, must achieve a pass in Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at Grade 12 level. In addition, a Level 5 pass (60% pass) in the Home Language is required.
8. The closing date for the applications is 22 August 2013. Schools may obtain application forms by contacting one of the following officials at the WCED Head Office:

  • Mr Alfred Shasha, tel.no. 021 467 2550
  • Ms Patience Funani, tel. no. 021 467 2243
9. Kindly bring the content of this minute to the attention of your schoolˇ¦s Grade 12 learners.


SIGNED: I CAROLUS
CHIEF DIRECTOR: HUMAN RESOURCES
DATE: 2013:08:08

Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme 2014 Application form  (size: 78 KB)