Public university: Why fictitious trips are all the rage
For decision-makers in the civil service, the issue of fictitious trips is a “ non-topic ”. This large-scale transgression has become so entrenched that it has become a commonplace that everyone agrees on. Ministries (including ministers’ offices and the offices of the Head of Government), public establishments, administrations… everyone resorts to it in a straightforward manner, without having the impression of breaking the law. “ Even the Inspectorate General of Finance and the magistrates of the Court of Auditors do not pay any attention to it, because it is so commonplace ”, confided the director of a leading business school. In public universities, too, the phenomenon is all the rage. “ You just have to make sure that it is not exaggerated, that it does not become a source of enrichment at the expense of the institution’s budget ”, he added. In these institutions, the idea is to use this disguised means to offer motivational bonuses to administrative staff. “ We have no other solution. It has practically become standard practice. We grant a bonus in July and one in December via fictitious trips. I do not see it as an abuse, since there is consensus concerning this issue ,” confided a university official, speaking on condition of anonymity. However, this unregulated practice does leave the door open to abuse, and there is some, according to the testimonies we gathered. In some cases, bizarre expense reports can be observed, with long-distance travel for example on the same day to Laâyoune in the South of the country and to Tangiers to the North of the country …
Motivating the rank and file
The Ministry of Higher Education is not immune to these practices. The former minister, Lahcen Daoudi (2012-2016), reportedly put an end to fictitious trips when he took over as head of his department. But he was only able to hold out for a few months before he had to face the facts: there is no way to motivate the rank and file, other than through the back door. That said, in the academic world, motivating civil servants is not the only reason for managers to abuse fictitious trips. Teachers, for example, carry out many tasks without receiving compensation. To compensate them, universities have found nothing better than fictitious trips.
“No government is capable of touching this major project”
If everyone believes that incentive bonuses are an absolute right for civil servants, why not include them in the regulations? Why leave these bonuses to the discretion of individuals who can do as they please? “ No government is capable of changing this state of affairs ”, said a former senior official at the Ministry of Higher Education. For him, it would create endless debates and headaches. And “ since people do not exaggerate, it remains a non-issue ”, he argued. Some people went even further. “ Maybe it is better that way, because since this practice is not legal, compensation is limited to the bare minimum. Besides, compensation is not granted on the basis of cronyism, it is for everyone and is well regulated ”, said a former university president.
Ahlam NAZIH
