Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun delivers her speech during the 2020 National Women’s Day celebration at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, March 8, 2022. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
PUTRAJAYA, March 15 — The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) is in the final stages of drafting the Social Work Profession Bill which allows individuals in the field to be recognised through registration and certification of practice regulated by the Social Work Profession Council.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said apart from that, KPWKM through the Public Services Commission had also given priority to courses related to social work at the diploma and degree levels offered by public and private universities.
Among the courses are social work management, child and family psychology, early childhood education and social sciences with specialisations in social work studies and human development as academic qualifications for Grade S29 or S41 under the civil servant’s scheme.
“As of March 11, 2022, KPWKM through the Social Welfare Department (JKM) has a total of 3,791 Social Scheme (Scheme S) officers who practice social work for the department’s target group,” she said in her opening speech at the 2022 Social Workers Day Celebration.
The speech text was read by KPWKM deputy secretary-general (operations) Mohd Yusri Mohd Yusoff.
The programme was held in conjunction with the 2022 World Social Work Day, with the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) choosing ‘Co-Building A New Eco-Social World: Leaving No One Behind’ as this year’s theme.
According to Rina, her ministry’s commitment to the social work profession was not limited to initiatives carried out at the national level, while Malaysia also played an active role in the Asean Social Work Consortium (ASWC).
“Besides that, Malaysia has also been given the mandate and trust in training in the field of social work from Asean member countries, through the appointment and recognition of JKM as a board member of the Asean Social Training Centre for Social Work and Social Welfare (ATCSW),” she said.
ATCSW is a social worker centre of excellence that offers courses, trainings, skills exchange and collaboration at the Asean level. — Bernama