By Asmahanim Amir and Engku Shariful Azni
Fix Izwan Azman

KUALA LUMPUR, 23 Feb 2016 – Realizing the importance of social services, the National University of Malaysia (UKM) now offers a Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work conducted by the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (FSSK), in partnership with the Social Institute of Malaysia (ISM).

The Postgraduate Diploma was introduced to provide opportunities for social workers under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to hone their skills in social work and social development.

Its Deputy Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun said the cooperation between the ministry through ISM and UKM gives the opportunity to implement a variety of activities together, especially in Social Work.

“I was also informed that programme was created to fulfil the needs to develop professionalism among social workers officers at the ministry and agencies under the ministry,” she said at the Signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between ISM and UKM here on Feb 18.

She said the new course is part of services provided through the ministry to give opportunities for Community Development Officers working at the Social Welfare Department to sharpen their skills.

She expressed hope that the programme will be continued every year until all the officers het the necessary professional qualifications as required under the  Social Workers act.

According to her the officers joining this programme are government-sponsored  and they are taking a one-year study leave until completion of studies.

Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali said he believes that collaboration between UKM and ISM will open up greater opportunities for both sides in the field of education and promote innovation in the field of social work management through research.

“I hope this programme can contribute to the effort to strengthen strategic relations of UKM with various government agencies, industry and community,” he said.

In a related development, a Senior Lecturer of Social Work Programme at FSSK, Dr Nur Saadah Muhammad Aun, said this course contains 12 subjects and the participants need to attend a one-year programme including two months of internship.

For starters,  22 Community Development Officers have received offer letters for the post graduate course and their studies commenced in the second semester for 2015/2016 session.