The School of Social Work, under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has successfully concluded the fourth cohort of its Social Service Workforce Training Programme.

A total of 60 participants graduated from this cohort, bringing the overall number of trained social service officers since the programme’s inception to 240.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, commended the graduates for their dedication and discipline throughout the intensive training.

She stressed that a well-equipped and motivated social service workforce is essential to strengthening Ghana’s social welfare and protection systems.

The Minister also highlighted the longstanding role of the School of Social Work, established in 1945, as a cornerstone for training professional social workers for the Department of Social Welfare and the Department of Community Development.

She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to promoting professionalism, ethics, and compassion in service delivery, noting that social service officers “touch lives, restore hope, and safeguard the dignity of vulnerable individuals and families across the nation.”

Representing UNICEF, Child Protection Specialist Young Joo Lee called for a clear legal framework to formally recognize social work as a profession, similar to medicine and teaching.

She encouraged the graduates to uphold high standards of practice and ensure their training translates into improved social welfare delivery at the district level.

The ceremony also featured remarks from partner institutions and concluded with the presentation of certificates to the newly graduated trainees.