The View page displays a submission's general information and data. Watch video
Submission information
Submission Number: 222
Submission ID: 1373
Submission UUID: b1425ccf-fc4e-4bd2-a24c-17eb9d4cf77a
Submission URI: /2025/abstracts
Created: Sun, 06/29/2025 - 03:47
Completed: Sun, 06/29/2025 - 03:50
Changed: Sun, 07/20/2025 - 21:17
Remote IP address: 41.150.216.200
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Current page: Complete
Webform: Abstract
Presenters
Mr.
Ntloko
Nkqubela aphiwe jackson
North-west university
Nkqubela Aphiwe Ntloko is a Social Worker registered with the SACSSP. He possesses a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), B.A. Honours in Development Studies and Master of Social Work (MSW) research, all from Nelson Mandela University.
Nkqubela, is a social activist, acutely sensitised to marginalised communities; structural issues, having grown and working in these communities. He is committed to being a catalyst and an enabler in leading transformation and development with people in their lives from diverse South African communities. His PhD work will contribute to the decolonial and Afrocentric discourse in social work. He works at North-West University as a lecturer in the Department of Social Work.
Nkqubela, is a social activist, acutely sensitised to marginalised communities; structural issues, having grown and working in these communities. He is committed to being a catalyst and an enabler in leading transformation and development with people in their lives from diverse South African communities. His PhD work will contribute to the decolonial and Afrocentric discourse in social work. He works at North-West University as a lecturer in the Department of Social Work.
No
Abstract
Developing school social work curriculum for South Africa’s relevance: An Afrocentric perspective
THEME 4: Social Work Education, Transdisciplinarity and Curriculum Development
SUB 4.2 Strategies on building responsive social work curricula.
Oral Presentation
Considering South Africa's political climate, structural inequalities, racism, and school violence, developing a school social work curriculum requires addressing African context-specific challenges. With South Africa poised to establish school social work as a specialisation, a master's curriculum must reflect the diverse and complex environment faced by learners and educators.
Schools face complex contextual realities and challenges that must be acknowledged and understood. Additionally, schools are reflections of their communities, and it is crucial to recognise that there is a symbiotic relationship between the community and the school. The relationship between schools and their communities is critical, as changes in one part can affect the entire system. This is especially important in marginalised communities such as South Africa where access to social services is lacking, posing risks to both the community and learners. Therefore, it is essential to build a critical relationship based on the interdependence of parts within a system.
Any curriculum that ignores intergenerational trauma and trauma-informed social work interventions is removed from the reality that we face daily as South Africans. Making a case for school social work in South Africa necessitates the use of anti-oppressive and intersectionality theories to comprehend complexities of the school environment and provide effective, and relatable interventions, with decoloniality as a guiding principle. Intersectionality acknowledges that learners and educators are not homogeneous and that their experiences are influenced by numerous aspects of identity, including race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability.
This conceptual paper adds that we cannot establish a foundation of school social work using the tools employed by the colonisers. Overall, a decolonial and Afrocentric approach to school social work curriculum development in South Africa is critical for building a profession that is responsive to the needs of learners and educators and challenges the legacies of colonialism and oppression in our society.
Schools face complex contextual realities and challenges that must be acknowledged and understood. Additionally, schools are reflections of their communities, and it is crucial to recognise that there is a symbiotic relationship between the community and the school. The relationship between schools and their communities is critical, as changes in one part can affect the entire system. This is especially important in marginalised communities such as South Africa where access to social services is lacking, posing risks to both the community and learners. Therefore, it is essential to build a critical relationship based on the interdependence of parts within a system.
Any curriculum that ignores intergenerational trauma and trauma-informed social work interventions is removed from the reality that we face daily as South Africans. Making a case for school social work in South Africa necessitates the use of anti-oppressive and intersectionality theories to comprehend complexities of the school environment and provide effective, and relatable interventions, with decoloniality as a guiding principle. Intersectionality acknowledges that learners and educators are not homogeneous and that their experiences are influenced by numerous aspects of identity, including race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability.
This conceptual paper adds that we cannot establish a foundation of school social work using the tools employed by the colonisers. Overall, a decolonial and Afrocentric approach to school social work curriculum development in South Africa is critical for building a profession that is responsive to the needs of learners and educators and challenges the legacies of colonialism and oppression in our society.
Reviewer ONE Feedback
Dr
Thabisa
Matsea
Yes
Education
Accepted
Reviewer TWO Feedback
{Empty}
{Empty}
{Empty}
{Empty}
{Empty}
Pending Review