ABSTRACT
Social work field practicum is the very heart of social work training. It is the vehicle through which students practice the skills, knowledge, and values taught in class. International global standards for social work education require students to undergo rigorous training in the field in order to learn the fundamental dimensions of professional social work with individuals, families, groups, and communities. This chapter examines the context of social work field practicum in Malawi, where social work is a relatively young profession. The chapter notes that despite being in its developing stages, social work field practicum is making strides in Malawi. Students have the opportunity to practice in different settings under the guidance of their university and agency supervisors. However, as the chapter notes, a myriad of challenges face the social work field practicum. They include limited orientation, inadequate time for practicum, lack of resources, poor student assessment, and non-recognition of social work as a profession. The chapter suggests that for the future success of social work education in Malawi, significant interventions that involve both universities and agencies need to be put in place to improve the field practice situation and to thoroughly prepare students for professional practice.
Kwa omwe akuchita maphunziro a zakasamalidwe ka anthu, kuyesera ntchitoyi ndi gawo limodzi lofunika kwambiri mkatikati mwa maphunziro awo. Ophunzira akapita kukayesera ntchitoyi m’maboma ndi m’mizinda, amakhala ndi mpata ogwiritsa ntchito maluso osiyanasiyana omwe iwowa amaphunzira mkalasi. Motsatira ndondomeko yomwe idakhazikitsidwa ndi bungwe loyang’anira anthu ogwira ntchito za kasamalidwe ka anthu pa dziko lonse la pansi, aliyense amene akupanga maphunziro a za kasamalidwe ka anthu akuyenera kukhala ndi nthawi yokwanira yoyesera ntchito yi, ndi cholinga choti aphunzire zinthu zina zofunikira kwambiri pantchitoyi. Cholinga cha kafukufuku uno ndikuyang’ana mozama momwe ndondomeko yotumiza ophunzira a za kasamalidwe ka anthu kukayesera zomwe akuphunzira nkalasi ikuyendera mdziko la Malawi. Kafukufukuyu wapeza umboni wokwanira kuti ngakhale maphunziro a zakasamalidwe ka anthu sadakhazizike kwenikweni mdziko la Malawi, ntchito yophunzitsa ophunzira kagwiridwe koyenerera ka ntchito yao mu njira yoyesera ikuyenda bwino. Mwa zina, ophunzirawa amapatsidwa mwayi ogwira ntchito mmalo osiyanasiyana pansi pa upangiri wa aphunzitsi awo aku sukulu za ukachenjede, komanso akuluakulu ena omwe amayang’anira mmalo ogwira ntchito amenewa. Ngakhale izi zili chonchi, kafukufuku uno wapeza umboni wokwanira kuti ndondomekoyi ili ndi mavuto ambiri ndipo ena mwa iwo ndi awa: kuchepa kwa nthawi yowakonzekeretsa ophunzira pa zoyenera kukachita akapita m’maboma ndi m’mizinda, kuchepa kwa nthawi yomwe ophunzirawa amakhala akugwira ntchito yoyesera ntchito yawoyi, kusowa kwa zipangizo zogwirira ntchito, komanso kuti ntchito ya zakasamalidwe ka anthu siiyamikiridwa kwenikweni m’dzikoli. Ngati ntchito yophunzitsa ophunzira a zakasamalidwe ka anthu ingapite patsogolo mdziko la Malawi, zitengera sukulu za ukachenjede komanso ma bungwe kuikapo mtima kuti ophunzira amene amapita kukayesa maphunziro awo mma bungwe wo aphunzitsidwe mokwanira.
