ENTSS: 97 social workers return to school to join the social work corps

After years of waiting, 97 social workers are beginning supplementary training this Tuesday, designed to allow them to join the ranks of social workers. This regularization brings to an end a long administrative and union saga, but also raises questions about the recognition and career advancement of these social professionals.

At the National School for Specialized Social Workers (ENTSS), 97 social workers began, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the process of further training which should allow them to join the body of social workers.

Behind these 97 beneficiaries lies a struggle that has been ongoing for several years. According to the director of ENTSS, Abdoulaye Mamadou Mbow, the process dates back to 2012, the year the relevant section of the former training institution closed. Since then, unions, partners, and social welfare organizations have taken numerous steps to find a solution to their situation.

“The process is nearing completion,” argues the director of ENTSS. Before this training program was developed, a comparative analysis was conducted between social welfare programs and those of social workers. This work enabled the development and then the stabilization of a supplementary training program with the support of specialists.

Two years of study, but an accelerated training program.

The training will not be limited to a few theoretical courses. Starting Wednesday, the participants will undergo a month of in-person training at ENTSS. They will then return to their respective sites to complete practical, real-world internships. These experiences will be assessed through portfolios that the employees will then have to present and defend before the school.

The process will conclude with a certification exam. Once this step is completed, the files will be forwarded to the relevant ministry and then to the Civil Service for transfer to the social work corps.

Beyond regularizing their status, this integration should allow for better recognition of their skills and strengthen the teams responsible for social support. For the populations concerned, the issue is also very real: having access to better-trained and more highly regarded professionals to meet the social needs they face.

The normal duration of the course is two years. But ENTSS has opted for an accelerated formula, while maintaining, assures its director, "the content and quality of the training".

A long-standing union demand

For Mballo Dia Thiam, Secretary General of SUTSAS and President of the Alliance And Gueusseum, this training primarily addresses a long-standing demand. The union leader points out that the issue of social assistance has remained unresolved, while similar situations affecting other healthcare professionals have already been resolved. "This is an old grievance that dates back almost thirty years," he emphasizes.

For the trade unions, the issue therefore goes beyond simply regularizing the administrative status of the 97 employees. It is also about enabling them to have a more coherent career path with opportunities for advancement and career progression.

But the union already wants to go further. Mballo Dia Thiam is advocating in particular for ENTSS to evolve into a true doctoral school, in order to offer professionals in the sector a path from bachelor's to doctorate.

This training thus marks an important step forward, while leaving open the broader question of career and the recognition of social work professions.