Social workers want law regulating their activities

PIC The new leaders of NASWU take oath after their election at Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala on Saturday. Photo by John Semakula

SOCIAL WORK

Social workers under their umbrella organisation, National Association of Social Workers of Uganda (NASWU) have asked Parliament to enact a law that will allow them constitute a council to regulate their activities.

In their Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Saturday at Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala, NASWU members noted that their profession has been negatively impacted on by absence of a council.

The members noted that due to the absence of a regulatory body, majority of the people employed as social workers are not professionals in the field that affects their work.

 "You may have buildings and roads that are flying but they mean nothing if the people's welfare is not addressed," Dr Janestic Twikirize, a senior lecturer from Makerere University said.

NASWU members agreed that as soon as an Act of Parliament is put in place, the council should be constituted. They said the council should require all qualified social workers in the country to get certified like lawyers, engineers and accountants before being allowed to work in Uganda.

"We are tired of scenarios where people employed as social workers instead abuse children who they are supposed to protect," Charles Draeacabo, the outgoing NASWU president said.

Members also demanded for the review of the curriculum for all institutions of higher learning to ensure that what is taught to students across board is standardised.

Twikirize said it was high time the teaching of social work is indigenised to fit into the current African setting instead of following what the British left behind during colonial times.

In response, Draeacabo told members that NASWU under the Uganda Systems Strengthening Project was already collaborating with the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and seven universities in the country in reviewing the social work curriculum. But he did not name the universities that are involved.  

"NCHE has given the review a go ahead and pledged technical support. The council has also pledged to take it upon itself to implore other universities to embrace the initiative," he said.

Members also elected a new executive including Michael Byamukama, Aloysius Okiror, Irene Nafungo elected as President, general secretary and treasurer, respectively.

Other members who were elected to other offices included Josephine Watera as Vice-President, Grace Katusiime as vice-general secretary plus a committee of six members.

In the concluding remarks, Dr Roselin Lubanga, a retired lecturer at Makerere University urged members involved in the review of the curriculum to include an aspect of corruption and social work. She noted that many projects were ending pre-maturely after managers embezzle funds.

The key note speaker, David Mugawe the deputy vice-chancellor in charge of external relations at Uganda Christian Uinversity in Mukono urged Ugandans to mind about children welfare.

He noted that children who are abused at early age are likely to become trouble makers at old age.