The Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister made this known  in a keynote address delivered on her behalf during the 12th annual matriculation and graduation ceremony of the School of Social Work at the Efua Sunderland Children’s Park in Accra on Saturday.

She said the Ministry is finalising arrangement for full tertiary status of the School of Social Works with the University of Ghana and the University of Development Studies.  Dr Mu-Awia Zakaria, the Principal of the School of Social Work said: “The Quality assurance committee has approved the programme of the school for affiliation.”

Nana Oye Lithur speaking on the theme: “Child Protection in Ghana: Implication for Sustainable development,” said, there is the need to integrate child protection into the curriculum of the school.

She explained that child protection was a new sector and the understanding of the concept was limited to a wide range of people involved in development work and the academia. “The curriculum reform will bolster social work training and skills development of students as well as for teachers,” she said.

She explained that adding child protection to the curriculum of the school would expand and enrich the field of social work practice for the students.  She said due to the relevance of the school to the nation, the construction of a 12-unit Classroom Block, Administration, Information Communication & Technology Centre and a Library Complex for the school was ongoing at Madina in Accra.

Dr Zakaria noted that the school was currently facing some challenges in the areas of infrastructure deficit and employability of graduates from the school.  He hinted that the management of the school was engaging the private sector and donor partners to help in the mitigation of some of the challenges currently facing the school.

The event was used to welcome 170 fresh students into the school and also graduated 387 students who have finished their various courses in the school. The Sandwich 2014/15, regular 2014/15 and the Sandwich 2015/16 groups formed the graduates who graduated on the 12th annual matriculation and graduation ceremony.

Mr Stephen Cudjoe, Mr Desmond Kweku Attigah and Ms Benedicta Dodua Cofie were adjudged overall best students for the Sandwich 2014/15 group, regular 2014/15 group and the Sandwich 2015/16 group. The School of Social Work, Osu which was established in 1945 with a handful of students had seven men and two women as its first products passing out in 1946.

The School currently runs certificate and diploma in Social Work on regular and sandwich modules.