The Quest for Relevance: Towards a Conceptual Model of Developmental Social Work Education and Training in Africa

Abstract

Africa to shed its remedial outlook and assume greater relevance, in order for the profession to more meaningfully address the needs of the continents masses. In this regard it has thus been argued - and correctly so - that for social work on the continent to become relevant, the profession must assume a developmental orientation, and this has to start at the level of education. To this end social work education institutions in Africa have therefore been urged to recast their programmes in the direction of developmental social work. In spite of these noble calls, however, a number of issues have remained unclear, if not unresolved particularly in respect of how to implement the new strategy. More importantly, the «benchmarks» for implementation have remained hazy, with some key questions remaining unanswered. For instance, how can an institution «tell» that its programmes are oriented towards the developmental approach? Indeed, what are some of the key pointers or criteria in this regard? This article attempts to address this question by suggesting a conceptual model based on certain important criteria identified through the writing of many scholars and authors on the subject. Stated otherwise, the article attempts to provide some form of checklist which social work education and training institutions in Africa - and perhaps elsewhere - could use to determine the extent to which they are promoting a developmental approach to social work education and training.