1. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) wishes to announce the availability of 66 extraordinary rural-based Funza Lushaka Bursaries for the 2016 academic year to Grade 12 learners who intend studying towards a formal teaching qualification.

2. The 2030 National Development Plan 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 Bursary 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), as well as a monthly stipend to cover basic living expenses.

4. The Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme 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 three (3) higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Western Cape, i.e. the University of the Western Cape, the University of Stellenbosch and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

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

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

  1. The programme will fund students who wish to specialise in the Foundation Phase (Grade 1 - 3) or who intend to study a BEd 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 a rural area for a period of one year for every year for which they have received a bursary.
  5. A copy of the applicant's 2014 Grade 11 results must be submitted with the initial application.
7. Furthermore, prospective applicants must apply for admission and must meet the admission requirements of the various HEIs named in point 4. 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 BEd 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 Home Language is required.
8. The closing date for the applications is 26 June 2015. Applicants must apply by completing the attached application form and all completed applications must be delivered to their school's education district office.

9. For any enquiries please do not hesitate to contact one of the following officials at the WCED Head Office:

  • Ms Malorato Mpiti at tel. no. 021 467 2155
  • Mr Lusapho Ndzongo at tel. no. 021 467 2190
10. Kindly bring the content of this minute to the attention of your school’s Grade 12 learners.


SIGNED: PA VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2015:05:27

Bursary application form  (size: 80 KB)