Social Work Education and Training in the Philippines Through the University of the Philippines Open University’s Open and Distance e-Learning

Social Work education and training in the Philippines has been facilitated mostly in face-to-face mode, with the exception of the pandemic, when most higher education institutions had to offer their education programs in distance or online mode. Most social work students in the graduate program in the Philippines are already integrated into the social welfare and development system, which is described as being heavy on fieldwork in varied difficult conditions, administrative and clerical tasks, multitasking, and other tedious and difficult working conditions. Social work education and training may need to be more accessible and flexible to strike a balance between ensuring access for professionals and offering quality and responsive education and training. The Graduate Social Work programs of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) are designed for professionals engaged in social development work who wish for a higher level of competence for direct practice and leadership through open and distance e-learning (ODeL). This research aims to discuss the perceptions of the Program’s students on the contribution of the program to increasing access to quality education and equality, considering the students’ profiles in terms of geographical location, familial arrangement, physical conditions, learning concerns, and the nature of employment.