University vows to crack down on staff study abroad misuse

Hundreds of teachers and staff of Nepal’s Tribhuvan University (TU) have been found to have misused a benefit which sees the university pay for staff to study abroad for up to five years, with most not returning to their jobs after completing their studies, an investigation has found.

TU, Nepal’s oldest and largest higher education institution, grants its teachers and staff leave to study abroad to enhance their academic capabilities and skills. They are paid their full salaries for the study period in the expectation that they will use their expertise when they return to the university.

Most Nepali teachers’ study abroad opportunities are granted for the purpose of taking up scholarships for MPhil and PhD programmes, but, according to a preliminary investigation by the university, some use the five-year timeframe to settle abroad, resulting in massive losses for the university.

Most of those taking up the opportunity actually work in the United States, Australia, Canada and some European countries during the study leave period.

TU has an enrolment of 491,299 students – more than three-quarters of the country’s total number of university students, according to the University Grants Commission. It employs 8,122 teaching staff, including professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and teaching assistants, across multiple campuses.

Study team

Following complaints about misuse of the scheme, the university authorities constituted a three-member study team in January led by Associate Professor Jeevan Kafle. The five-month investigation showed that 405 university employees, mainly teachers, had misused the study leave.

Of those 405, 192 never returned from their academic study elsewhere, while the rest failed to produce their academic certificates upon their return to show they had used the study leave as intended.

“The university has paid around NPR1.5 billion (US$10.85 million) in salaries to the 405 during their study period, leading to a huge loss to the university,” said Kafle. Additionally, the university had to hire part-time lecturers to cover the work of those granted leave, adding millions of rupees to the university's burden, he said.

“We brought out the report after visiting different colleges and studying documents,” Kafle told University World News. “Most defaulters are from technical faculties – engineering and medicine.”

According to the university’s Teacher and Staff Service Rules (1994), teachers and staff who have completed at least three years in a permanent post are eligible for paid study leave for a maximum of five years. Those who have completed three years can take leave of up to the same period, while those taking more than three years must have served for five years.

Lecturers choose for themselves where they want to study during the leave period or take up opportunities presented to those applying from Nepal, but they must sign a bond agreeing to return to their job at the university after completing their studies abroad. Upon their return they are required to produce the academic credentials acquired during their leave.

Loss of money and skills

However, several remained in the country of study or took up other high-paying jobs in Nepal. Among those who did return to the university, some did not produce their certificates, which could indicate that they either did not complete their studies or did not study at all, university officials said.

University officials said in addition to the financial loss to the university, the defaulters undermined the university's aim to develop a more qualified workforce.

“This is also corruption, legally and morally. It is shameful that academic professionals are involved in such wrongdoings,” said Kafle.

As per the university rule, those not returning to work after completing their studies have to return all salary monies paid during the study period, along with 10% annual interest. Similarly, the university can dismiss them if they fail to show up within 90 days after the completion of leave.

The signed bond clearly mentions these provisions. However, except for a few cases, the university administration has failed to execute the law, according to the study that was submitted this week to Tribhuvan University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Khadga Khatri Chetri, officially known by his initials, KC.

Crackdown

“We are not going to spare them anymore,” KC told University World News, adding that the defaulters would first be asked to pay the money back.

The university will publicise the names of those who refuse to refund the money, he said. “We will also trace the places where they are working and write to the employer explaining how they breached the law to work there,” said KC.

As the university intensifies its clampdown, some have already agreed to pay the money back, amounting on average to NPR4.5 million (US$32,565) per individual over the five-year leave period.

In addition to taking action, KC said his administration was preparing to revise the conditions and criteria for granting study leave. “From now on, we want to ensure this provision is not misused and only genuine individuals get paid study leave,” he said.