(1)  An employee who, as a condition of his or her appointment to the State Service or an award or legislation, is required to undertake and complete an approved course of study involving –

(a) the payment of fees by the employee; or

(b) the attendance of the employee at lectures or courses of instruction during the employee's normal working hours; or

(c) both that payment of fees and that attendance –

is to –

(d) be paid an amount equivalent to the amount of the fees payable for that approved course of study; and

(e) be exempt, for the purpose of undertaking that approved course of study, from attending the employee's place of work for such period per week, being a period with pay, as the relevant Head of Agency may determine.

(2)  An employee who desires to improve his or her qualifications for the performance of the employee's official duties by undertaking a course of study involving –

(a) the payment of fees by the employee; or

(b) the attendance by the employee at lectures or courses of instruction, whether during the employee's normal working hours or not; or

(c) both that payment of fees and that attendance –

may apply in writing to the relevant Head of Agency for approval to receive study assistance to undertake that course of study.

(3)  An application under subregulation (2) is to be accompanied by a report by the applicant stating whether the undertaking of the proposed course of study to which the application relates by the applicant will be in the interests of the State Service.

(4)  If the relevant Head of Agency approves an application for study assistance under subregulation (2)  –

(a) the Head of Agency may, subject to subregulation (6) , exempt the employee who is to receive study assistance from attending the employee's place of work for such period, being a period, with pay, not exceeding 8 hours per week, or for a total of 10 days leave per annum, as the Head of Agency may direct, for the purpose of undertaking the course of study to which the application relates (in this regulation referred to as "the study course" ); and

(b) the Head of Agency may authorise the reimbursement to the employee of all or part of the amount of the fees paid by the employee in respect of each year of the study course on the successful completion by the employee of that year of the study course.

(5)  The relevant Head of Agency may specify the period in which it is expected that an employee who receives study assistance under subregulation (1) or (2) will complete the approved study course.

(6)  The period for which an employee who receives study assistance is exempted from attending his or her place of work pursuant to subregulation (4)(a) includes the time required by the employee to travel to and from the place at which the study course is being conducted.

(7)  If an employee who receives study assistance fails to pass in a subject forming part of the approved study course –

(a) being undertaken pursuant to subregulation (1) , the employee is to repeat the subject at his or her own expense; or

(b) being undertaken pursuant to subregulation (2)  –

(i) the relevant Head of Agency may require the employee to repeat the subject at his or her own expense; and

(ii) the period for which the employee is exempted from attending his or her place of work pursuant to subregulation (4)(a) to repeat that subject may, if the Head of Agency so directs, be without pay.

(8)  The relevant Head of Agency may withdraw study assistance –

(a) in the case of unsatisfactory progress by the employee who receives the study assistance for the study course; or

(b) in circumstances that are considered by the Head of Agency to be likely to prevent the completion by the employee of the study course; or

(c) for any other reason which the Head of Agency considers sufficient.