Circular No. 105/2001/TT-BTC guiding the management and use of training and capacity-building funds for state officials and civil servants

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for managing and using training and capacity-building fundsfor civil servants and state officials

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Pursuant to Decree 87/CP dated December 19, 1996 and Decree No. 51/1998/NĐ-CP dated July 18, 1998 of the Government detailing the delegation, management, preparation, implementation, and settlement of the State budget;

Pursuant to Decision No. 874/TTg dated November 20, 1996 of the Government on the training and capacity-building of officials and civil servants of state agencies;

Pursuant to Decision No. 74/2001/QĐ-TTg dated May 7, 2001 of the Prime Minister approving the Plan for Training and Capacity Building of Civil Servants and State Officials for the period 2001-2005;

After receiving the unified opinion of the Government’s Organizational Cadre Board, the Ministry of Finance provides guidelines for the management and use of training and capacity-building funds for civil servants and state officials as follows:

I. OBJECTS AND SCOPE:

1. Training objects:

- Administrative civil servants currently working in central and local Party and State agencies, and mass organizations.

- Civil servants in public service.

- Deputies of all levels of People's Councils.

- Village chiefs, ward chiefs, town chiefs, and village heads.

2. Scope of use of training and capacity-building funds for civil servants and state officials:

- Funds allocated annually in the budget estimates of ministries, sectors, provinces, and centrally governed cities for the training and capacity building of civil servants and state officials.

- Training and capacity-building funds for civil servants and state officials are used to implement tasks of training and capacity building in knowledge (including professional and managerial skills) for civil servants and state officials under the management of ministries, sectors, and localities (including direct training at institutions and sending to other training institutions), according to the annual training and capacity-building plan for civil servants and state officials approved by the competent authority based on the plan of the Government's Organizational Cadre Board.

- Depending on their ability to allocate funds and the need for training civil servants and state officials, ministries, sectors, and localities may use training and capacity-building funds for civil servants and state officials to partially cover the costs for civil servants and state officials sent to study at universities (and equivalent levels) and postgraduate studies (and equivalent levels). The maximum amount allocated for this support shall not exceed 10% of the total training and capacity-building funds for civil servants and state officials allocated for the year.

- These funds shall not be used to cover the administrative costs of training management in ministries, sectors, and localities; nor shall they be used to invest in the construction of facilities for training institutions for civil servants and state officials. For ministries, sectors, and localities permitted by the Government to establish training centers for civil servants and state officials, the administrative costs shall be covered from their regular annual operating funds.

II. CONTENT OF EXPENSES AND AMOUNTS:

1- Domestic training and capacity building expenses:

1.1- The budget allocation for domestic training and capacity building for civil servants and state officials is 3.6 million VND per training slot (10 months of study per person, with each month costing 360,000 VND per trainee). In cases where training courses are organized for periods of up to 10 days, the funding will be arranged at half the monthly rate. For courses lasting more than 10 days, funding will be arranged at the full monthly rate.

1.2- Responsibilities of the agency sending civil servants and state officials to study:

- Creating favorable conditions regarding time and work arrangements to facilitate the study of civil servants and state officials;

- Paying salaries and bonuses, and other welfare benefits to civil servants and state officials during their study period in accordance with the regulations of the agency or unit;

- Reimbursing travel expenses from the workplace to the place of study (one round trip) for civil servants and state officials attending training and capacity-building courses in accordance with Circular No. 94/1998/TT-BTC dated June 30, 1998 of the Ministry of Finance on travel expenses for civil servants and state officials traveling within the country;

- Reimbursing civil servants and state officials for fees paid to training institutions when sending them to other training institutions for training and capacity building. The basis for reimbursement is the receipt issued by the training institution in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Finance. The maximum reimbursement shall not exceed 360,000 VND per person per month.

1.3- Responsibilities of the agency organizing the course:

1.3.1- Expenses for lecturers:

1.3.1.1- Lecturer honorariums: (One lecture session includes four classes)

- For lecturers who are Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and equivalents: 150,000 VND per session.

- For lecturers at the Bureau, Department, Institute level, professors, doctors, senior specialists, and equivalents: 120,000 VND per session.

- For other lecturers: 90,000 VND per session.

- For foreign lecturers invited with permission from competent authorities: The honorarium shall be agreed upon between the organization and the specialist based on the financial capacity of the organization.

For professional lecturers teaching in training schools who receive teacher salaries (such as the Education Cadre Training School, Provincial Political Schools, etc.), any additional hours beyond the standard are reimbursed according to the overtime pay system for college and university lecturers, but not at the above rate when participating in courses assigned by authorized agencies; however, when invited to teach in other courses, they still receive the stipulated benefits.

1.3.1.2- Travel and accommodation expenses for lecturers. If there are no suitable accommodations available, the organizing agency may rent outside accommodations, but the expense shall not exceed the limit set forth in Circular No. 94/1998/TT-BTC dated June 30, 1998 of the Ministry of Finance.

1.3.2- Expenses for trainees:

- Partially subsidizing food and lodging expenses for trainees from distant locations: Based on the availability of funds and the organization of the course (location, composition of trainees, duration of study...), ministries, sectors, and localities may decide, but the maximum subsidy shall not exceed 10,000 VND per person per day.

- Purchasing and printing textbooks and materials directly serving the course (excluding reference materials).

- Rental car expenses and costs for organizing field trips and practical work for trainees (if any).

1.3.3- Expenses for organizing the course:

- Renting conference halls (or classrooms) and equipment such as projectors, computers: Paid according to actual expenses.

- Office supplies and drinking water expenses for the course.

- Electricity, water, and vehicle parking expenses.

- Expenses for opening and closing ceremonies, grading exams, issuing certificates, and rewarding outstanding students; management expenses for the course.

2- Overseas training and capacity building expenses:

2.1- Responsibilities of the agency sending civil servants and state officials for overseas training and capacity building:

In addition to the contents specified in items 1, 2, and 3 of point 1.2 above, the agency sending officials and civil servants for training abroad shall also be responsible for settling expenses for exit and entry procedures (passport, visa) for the officials and civil servants sent for training.

2.2 Responsibilities of the agency organizing the delegation for training abroad:

- Service fees payable to service organizations under contract (if applicable).

- Tuition fees and mandatory charges payable (if applicable) to educational institutions or foreign service providers according to specific contracts signed by authorized authorities.

- Translation costs (if applicable).

- Health insurance costs (as stipulated by each country) during the period of study abroad: This expense is calculated based on the principle of ensuring minimum requirements for medical examination and treatment.

- Costs for organizing classes: Surveying, negotiating, and developing training programs with overseas educational institutions.

- Costs for meals, accommodation, travel, and airport departure taxes are implemented in accordance with Circular No. 45/1999/TT-BTC dated May 4, 1999, and Circular No. 108/1999/TT-BTC dated September 4, 1999, issued by the Ministry of Finance regarding work allowances for state officials and civil servants on short-term missions abroad.

III. ESTABLISHING BUDGET PROJECTIONS, IMPLEMENTATION, AND SETTLEMENT OF EXPENSES:

1 Training of officials and civil servants within the country:

- For Ministries and central agencies: Annually, based on the plan for training and upgrading officials and civil servants proposed by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Government’s Organizational Cadre Department, and considering the State budget's capacity, the Ministry of Finance will submit to the Prime Minister for allocation of the State budget for the training and upgrading of officials and civil servants within the country.

Based on the approved budget projection, referring to the training and upgrading quotas for officials and civil servants distributed by the Government’s Organizational Cadre Department, the Ministry of Finance will propose the allocation of training and upgrading funds for officials and civil servants to the central ministries and agencies for submission to the Prime Minister for decision-making along with the annual State budget allocation.

- For provinces and centrally-administered cities:

The training and upgrading funds for officials and civil servants managed by localities are included in the annual local government budget; based on the training and upgrading plans for officials and civil servants provided by the Government’s Organizational Cadre Department, and considering the local budget balance capacity, provinces and cities will proactively allocate budgets to organize and implement the training and upgrading of officials and civil servants according to the plan.

In addition to the annual State budget allocated for the training and upgrading of officials and civil servants, Ministries, agencies at the level of Ministries, government agencies, and central bodies of mass organizations, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities may increase expenditures for this task based on their budget capacities, in accordance with established regulations and standards.

2 Training of officials and civil servants abroad:

2.1 Budget preparation and allocation:

Annually, based on the plan for sending officials and civil servants for training abroad by Ministries, sectors, and localities, the Government’s Organizational Cadre Department will develop a plan for training and upgrading officials and civil servants abroad, submitting it to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance along with a budget estimate for the training and upgrading of officials and civil servants abroad for the year according to the following criteria:

- Agencies assigned to organize delegations for training and upgrading abroad

- The anticipated cadre and civil servant candidates for training.

- The duration of study abroad.

- The training institutions to which they will be sent.

- The estimated budget for each delegation.

- The total budget for training cadres and civil servants abroad.

Based on the plan of the Government’s Organizational Cadre Department and the State budget's capacity, the Ministry of Finance will submit to the Prime Minister for approval of the budget for the training and upgrading of officials and civil servants abroad within the total annual training and upgrading budget for officials and civil servants.

After receiving the government's decision on the annual budget allocation, the Ministry of Finance will allocate funds for the training and upgrading of officials and civil servants abroad in the annual budget of units assigned to lead the implementation.

2.2 Management and utilization:

The management, distribution, and settlement of funds for the training and upgrading of officials and civil servants abroad shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions for foreign currency expenditures allocated through the form of annual budget limits in Vietnamese dong for overseas mission delegations as stipulated in Circular No. 40/2001/TT-BTC dated June 5, 2001, "Guidelines for the Management, Distribution, and Settlement of State Budget Expenditures in Foreign Currency Through the Central Treasury" issued by the Ministry of Finance.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION:

This circular takes effect from January 1, 2002, and replaces Circular No. 150/1998/TT-BTC dated August 19, 1998, issued by the Ministry of Finance.

Annually, Ministries, agencies at the level of Ministries, government agencies, central bodies of mass organizations, and People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities have the responsibility to compile and submit reports on the implementation of the training and upgrading of officials and civil servants to the Government’s Organizational Cadre Department and the Ministry of Finance for consolidation and reporting to the government:

- Mid-year report: submitted before July 31

- Annual report: submitted before January 31 of the following year.

During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, agencies and units are requested to promptly reflect them to the Ministry of Finance for research and resolution.