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Backgrounder
Education Reimbursement
BG–04.035 - October 22, 2004
Programs that enable military members to improve their education have existed since well before unification. Today, they tend to fall into two categories: those designed to meet institutional or specific occupational needs; and those which provide support and latitude to individual members for self-paced and self-directed learning to complement their professional training and allow them to strive for larger personal goals.
Over the years, these programs have been improved and expanded to facilitate professional development, promote career opportunities and ease the transition of members to civilian life upon completion of their military service. These programs also support the Department of National Defence (DND)'s efforts to be competitive in recruiting, commitments under the degreed officer corps, and provide the basis for future in-service Professional Development, in-service employment and eventual transition to civilian life.
The education reimbursement programs have developed over time and have been influenced by a variety of initiatives and/or direction. In 1981, education reimbursement was expanded to address second career transition by providing opportunities for members to upgrade their education. I n an effort to address Quality of Life (QOL) issues and SCONDVA recommendations made in 1998, the scope of education reimbursement programs was further expanded in 2000 to include an education reimbursement trial for the Primary Reserve as well as a broad range of opportunities, in addition to academic education, to assist Regular Force members transition to civilian life. These decisions were made on the assumption that this was permissible under existing regulations. In total, approximately $36.6M was reimbursed to over 60,000 claimants over a period of 23 years. Regrettably, these programs were established without the requisite Treasury Board (TB) authority despite having been approved and funded by senior departmental committees.
A policy review conducted in 2003 revealed two main problems with the existing programs; the first was that three aspects of the expanded programs, although created with the best intentions, lacked the necessary TB authority. These include:
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Payments to the Primary Reserve;
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Payments to Canadian Forces (CF) members after release or transfer to the Reserve Force; and
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The scope and nature of subsidized programmes as outlined under the Personal Enhancement Program (PEP) and the Primary Reserve education reimbursement trial.
The second issue is the interpretation of activities and courses that could be considered as second career transition and personal interest allowed for under PEP. In the absence of both definitive parameters to the policy and a requirement for program pre-approval, some members may have been reimbursed for courses that weren't necessarily within the original intent of the program.
Accordingly, the CF has instituted a number of measures to address these deficiencies . It has reviewed CF requirements (cognizant of SCONDVA) and determined that the Forces still need programs to address not only academic upgrading and transition of skills to civilian life, but also a specific program to meet the needs of the Primary Reserve. The CF has developed a recommended suite of education reimbursement programs that will satisfy corporate CF/DND requirements, and close the regulatory gap by securing TB authority for past and future expenditures.
The Government of Canada and DND/CF Corporate priorities encourage and support continuous learning. Furthermore, the CF has desired outcomes that include a better educated force to respond to the new security environment, career long strategies for self-development; improved recruiting and retention, and a continuous learning environment for career advancement, potential occupational or component transfer and alignment of skills with civilian professions. To this end, the CF strategy for education reimbursement not only addresses the aforementioned priorities but also includes more robust management control that frames benefits as opportunities not entitlements, requires prior approval of a learning plan, and embeds the benefits while members are still serving.
Program changes include the following:
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A trial ER program implemented in 1999 for Primary Reserves will, subject to TB approval, be replaced with an expanded program offering eligible Primary Reserve officers and non-commissioned members (NCMs) up to $2,000 per year to an $8,000 career maximum towards their education. The expanded program also includes advanced degrees;
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The PEP ER program and benefits beyond release have been replaced with a suite of in-service education reimbursement programs that will permit Regular Force members to achieve both professional and personal education and training goals. New programs include:
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The Education Reimbursement for the Regular Force program, offering professional development in the interests of the CF and not covered under other programs. Upon approval of an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), it provides eligible members with 100% reimbursement towards a certificate, a diploma or an undergrad/post-graduate degree; and
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The Skills Completion Program (SCP), which is designed primarily to assist those members who are in military occupations that have limited transferability to civilian life. The SCP provides selected Regular Force officers and non-commissioned members reimbursement up to a career limit of $5K for education to facilitate the transfer of acquired military skills and experience into meaningful civilian qualifications.
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Additionally, eligible Regular Force officers will continue to have access to the Initial Degree Program and the Advanced Degree Program.
All education reimbursement programs will require pre-authorization through the submission and approval of an Individual Learning Plan.
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