1. Definition of Training Leave

“Training Leave” means leave granted to enable officers to pursue courses of training or study which have been initiated by the Government to meet its requirements, General Orders section 7.1 (a) pg.75.

2. Criteria for the grant of training leave

Public officers cannot apply for training awards on their own. All nominations for training awards must:

• a. Have the sanction of the relevant Permanent Secretary/ Head of Department
• b. Be made on the appropriate Nomination Training Award Form
• c. Be submitted to the Training Administration Division
  

In addition, the request for training must be based on the training needs of the Ministry/Department, as these relate to its mission, vision, strategic goals and objectives. The areas of training requested should have been included in the Ministry/Department training proposals for the relevant financial year, and approved by the Public Service Training Committee (PSTC).

3. Deadline for Submission of Nomination Form

Training Administration Division requires that all requirements for training leave should be submitted to the Division at least six (6) weeks before the scheduled starting date of the training course.  This time requirement will allow the Division adequate time to complete the processing for the required funding and leave.

4. Nomination Forms for Training Awards

All Public Officers, who have been nominated for training awards, must complete a Nomination Form for a training award which is   available at Training Administration Division.

Parts A and B of the form must be completed by the nominee in their entirety while Part C must be completed by the Ministry/Department.

All completed nomination forms must contain the comments and recommendations of the Permanent Secretary and / Head of Department.

All completed nomination forms for training must bear the signature of the Permanent Secretary and/or Head of Department, or another designated senior officer before they are submitted to Training Administration Division.

 N.B. Ministries/Departments must ensure that all nomination forms for training awards are thoroughly completed and all required information and supporting documentation provided. 

5. Information/Documentation required for the Processing of Training Leave

Ministries/Departments requesting training leave for officers must submit the following information on the nomination for training award form:

• a. Full name and address of the officer;
• b. National Registration Number and National Insurance Number;
• c. Post: Identify the officer’s present post and state whether it is a temporary or established post, also, (state the officer’s substantive posts if different from his/her present post);
• d. Status: State whether the nominee for training is a permanentlyappointed officer or holds a temporary appointment or is on contract;
• e. Period of Service:  Indicate period of continuous service e.g. from 2000-10-01 to present. This includes periods of continuous temporary service;
• f. Educational record:  A brief listing of the candidate’s qualifications is required e.g. (MSc. Econ.; BSc. History).  Previous training courses attended at government’s expense should also be stated;
  
• g. Duration of Course:  The period required to enable the candidate to successfully complete the training course must be clearly stated e.g. (March 14th, 2002 to November 15th, 2003);
• h. Course Contents/Objectives:  The objectives and subject areas to be covered in the course of study must be clearly stated, and supported by official documentation from the institution/organization/university;
• i. Priority:  Ministries/Departments should state the level of priority area of training i.e. (why the particular candidate was selected);
• j. Required Funding:  Where funding is required, Ministries/Departments must submit all relevant costs, supported by official documentation from the institution/university/organization; and
• K. Rationale/Relevance:  The Ministry/Department must clearly set out in their submission the rationale/relevance of the training to their specific needs.  The selection process must also be stated i.e. (why the particular candidate was selected).

6. Procedures for Processing a Request  for Training Leave and Funding

•  a. An area of training is identified by the Ministry/Department and submitted to the PSTC through the Training Administration Division. The PSTC’s recommendations are submitted to the Minister responsible for training for approval of the funding required.
• b. If the funding is approved, a submission is made to the respective Services Commission, through the Chief Personnel Officer for the granting of the required training leave.
• c. When Training Administration Division receives a response with respect to the training leave, the respective Ministry/Department is informed of the decision.
• d. The Training Administration Division prepares the appropriate expenditure voucher which is sent to the Accountant General’s Department for disbursement of funds.  (Tuition fees, personal allowances etc.).
• e. The Accountant General’s  department issues a statement of allowances to the candidate.
• f. Training Administration Division makes the necessary flight travel, insurance and exemption card arrangements. The candidate is notified and required to collect the ticket and related documents from Training Administration Division.
• g. Bonds are prepared for the candidate’s signature before he/she can proceed on training;

7. Conditions of Training Leave

8. Part Funded Programmes

9. Ad-Hoc Training

This arises when the course of training was not provided for in the Ministries’/Departments’ annual training proposal but becomes available and is deemed to be of critical importance and beneficial to the developmental needs of the Ministry/Department.

These types of training courses may be funded extensively by a funding agency, or partially funded, or the Government of Barbados may be required to fully fund the programme.

 10. Request for Extension of Training Leave

All requests for extensions of training leave must be initiated by Ministries/Departments on behalf of the candidates.  The Ministry must clearly state the reasons for the request, supported by official correspondence from the institution, organization, university.

11. Request for Deferral of Training Leave

Ministries/Department may request the deferral of training leave, giving detailed reasons, for the deferral and indicate the likely date  for courses of study/training which are of nine (9) months duration/or longer, before the officer can proceed on leave.

12. Course Reports

All Public Officers who have been granted training leave to enable them to attend a course of training are required to submit a report on completion of the training course to the Training Administration Division (Section 7.13, of the General Orders, pg. 79).

The course report must be submitted to Training Administration Division within one month of completion of the training or of any leave which the officer may have taken immediately following the course.

13. Bonding

Public Officers who have been granted training leave for a period of three months or more, will be bonded on completion of their training (Section of the General Orders, 7.11.1, pg. 77).

14. Officers Subject to Disciplinary Code

An officer, while he is on scholarship/or other training award, is still subject to the appropriate disciplinary code of the Public Service of Barbados (General Orders 7.16).

15. Suspension/Termination of Training Award

The General Orders provides at section 7.14 that - a scholarship or other training award may be suspended or terminated if:

• a. Reports of the officer’s work or conduct on the course are unsatisfactory;
• b. The officer, without reasonable excuse, fails to pass a prescribed examination within the time fixed by the authorities of the institution which he may be attending;
• c. The officer engages in any occupation which is a hindrance to his progress in the course of study prescribed for him;
• d. The officer becomes unfit to complete his studies owing to illness or is absent from his studies for more than 6 months owing to illness.
• e. In the case of female officer, she marries without permission, someone who is not ordinarily domiciled in Barbados or who is obliged to work in a country other than Barbados;
• f. The officer fails to reply to correspondence or to keep the head of department informed of his whereabouts.

Download Training Leave Application Form