Social work education, training and standards in Africa

Abstract

This paper describes the historical development of social work education in South Africa, paying particular attention to the transformation of social work education and training post‐1994, and provides some detail about the efforts being made toward the development of a regional qualifications framework. It also describes the constitution of the Social Work Standards Generation Body (SGB), its functions, the processes followed by the SGB, and details the outcomes generated by the SGB. The potential costs and benefits of the development of minimum standards are discussed, with specific reference to the debates around the ‘whole qualifications’ and ‘unit standards’ approaches to generating standards. Although the registration of social work qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is a statutory requirement of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), and was imposed, it holds promise and signifies an achievement by the social work profession. Since the inception of social work education and training in South Africa in the 1920s these are the first nationally formulated standards that have been accepted.

Keywords:

• Social Work
• Minimum Standards
• SAQA
• Whole Qualifications
• Unit Standards
• Transformation

Notes

Correspondence to: Vishanthie Sewpaul, School of Psychology, Centre for Social Work, University of Kwa Zulu Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa. Fax: +27‐31‐2602618; Email: [email protected]

Article 11 (2) (k). Southern African Development Community Protocol on Education and Training—signed 8 September 1997. The SADC member states are Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

SAQA, ‘Regional Qualifications Framework for the Southern African Development Community: Initial Reflections on the Possibilities’. Pretoria 2001, Business Ltd Magazine, htpp:www.businessmag.mu (29 March 2002).

In an effort to get rid of the vestiges of colonialism, the JUC was renamed: Association of South African Social Work Educators' Institutions in October 2003.

There are 25 SETAs established within the legislative framework of the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998 (RSA Ministry of Labour, 1998). While tertiary institutions deal with qualifications from NQF level 5/6 onwards, the SETAs deal with sector‐based qualifications and skills requirements from NQF levels 1 to 4/5. Of particular relevance to this paper is the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) whose key objectives are to: develop and implement the sector skills plan; develop and administer learnerships; support the implementation of the NQF; undertake quality assurance; disburse levies collected from employers; forge links with stakeholders and bodies within the sector; and report to the Minister of Labour on matters related to the sector. For more information see www.hwseta.org.za.

Keynote address delivered at the 5th Bi‐annual Conference of the Association of Caribbean Social Work Educators in 2001. The paper was subsequently published in the Caribbean Journal of Social Work, August 2003.

Each credit is equal to 10 notional study hours, reflecting the time that it takes the average learner to meet the defined outcomes. It includes contact time, time spent in structured learning in the workplace and individual learning (SAQA, 2000a, p. 23). SAQA's guidelines are 480 credits for a four year professional qualification, 120–240 credits for a Masters qualification, and 240–360 credits for a Doctoral qualification. As reflected in the BSW qualification the credits are far more than the minimum prescribed by SAQA. This is because the amount of fieldwork adds considerably to the number of credits.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vishanthie Sewpaul

Correspondence to: Vishanthie Sewpaul, School of Psychology, Centre for Social Work, University of Kwa Zulu Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa. Fax: +27‐31‐2602618; Email: [email protected]