Further education

Employees who wish to take courses, by attendance or correspondence, which are approved by the Department of Government or Local Authority concerned may be granted financial assistance at the rates and subject to the conditions set out hereunder:

A. Financial assistance towards the cost of approved courses will be at the following rates:

1. 80% of fees (including examination fees) should be paid or, if an employee has received assistance from the Department of Education and Children, up to 80% of the remaining balance.
2. 50% of the cost of text books, with the employee paying the first £5 of such cost, subject to a maximum payment of £75 per course.

B. An employee who receives assistance but who fails to make satisfactory progress in his or her studies or discontinues the course may, after full consideration of all the facts of the matter, be required to repay to his employer the total cost of the assistance received or such proportion of that assistance as may be reasonable having regard to the circumstances of the case.

C. The granting of financial assistance under this Article is conditional upon the employee undertaking that he will repay to his employer a sum not exceeding 50% of the amount of that assistance if he voluntarily terminates his employment within 2 years of completing the course (or passing the examination).

_{Last Updated - February 2016}