PROBLEMS AND
PROSPECTS OF ADULT EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The
National Policy on Education (2004) provides for Adult and non-formal education
as an instrument par excellence for lifelong education. Section 6 of the Policy
outlines the goals of adult and non-formal education to include providing
functional literacy and continuing education for adults and the youths, provide
education for different categories of completers of the formal education system
to improve their basic knowledge and skills, provide in-service, on-the-job,
vocational and professional training for different categories of workers and
give adult citizens of the country necessary aesthetics, cultural and civic
education for public enlightenment.
Onyenemezu
(2003) opined that Adult Education in Nigeria is not just about literacy or
remedial education to fill a gap. That it is what is needed and wanted by all
as long as they are alive and regardless of previous education. This position is
in line with what Nasir (1979) said when he said that Adult Education included
many of the subjects learned at school for those who never had the opportunity.
Dave (1973) had earlier argued that Adult Education aims at providing lifelong
Education that prepares the individual for change and creates dynamic frame of
mind in the individual. This is because the world is constantly changing in all
spheres including technology, communication and industry. Human’s craving for
learning is thus continuous to keep pace with the changes.
Bown
and Okedara (1981) rightly described this urge for continuous learning as
‘cradle to grave’. It is hoped that when the individual is equipped through
lifelong skills and knowledge, Nigeria’s hope for the realization of the millennium
development goals that include eradication of extreme poverty and hunger,
achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering
women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV /
Aids, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and
developing a global partnership for development would be enhanced (Federal
Government of Nigeria, 2004).
The
history of adult education is a hit-and miss story – starting off with strong rhetoric,
promises and expectation and concluding in limited success, and even neglect
and disappointment in too many cases. Adult education has been conflated into
broader agenda of education and development more at level of discourse than in action.
In the arena of action it has been too often confined to a narrow
interpretation of literacy skills (Umar,Eshak, Bichi, &Aujara, 2010).
However for most governments in developing countries where financial and human
resources are very scarce like Nigeria, adult education is very low when it comes
to given priority to other sub-sectors of education system.
In
fact many people have been inhibited by some socio economic, political,
cultural and natural factors from benefitting from the right to education (the
Universal Declaration of Human rights to Education). These factors have
resulted in a greater number of a nation’s population not really benefitting
from the formal education system. Many people who entered various levels of the
formal education failed to realize their educational ambitions. It is obvious that
the adults in the society are the most affected by these factors for many of
them may have dropped out of formal school system either as stark or semi
illiterates. The field of adult education is going through a major transition
in response to the new economy and the demands and interests of learners in the
new economy in the 21st century making it necessary to study the
problems and prospects of adult education in Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Adult
education changes the social and psychological minds of adults more than any
other profession, instills lost hope in them and liberates them from their
prejudice of seeing themselves as not being capable of learning. Adult
education awakens adult learners to become aware of their environmental
(social, economic, cultural and political) and psychological potentials
and hidden abilities. It also exerts enormous influence on the larger society
in terms of national development (Onyenemezu, 2012). A lot of problem is bedeviling
adult education in Nigeria despite numerous prospect which include inadequate
funding, failures of the UBE act to give adequate recognition to Adult and
Non-Formal Education as a key sector of basic education etc.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following
are the objectives of this study:
1. To
examine the problems of adult education in Nigeria.
2. To
examine the prospects of Adult education in Nigeria.
3. To
examine the component of Adult education in Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1. What
are the problems of adult education in Nigeria?
2. What
are the prospects of Adult education in Nigeria?
3. What
are the components of Adult education in Nigeria?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
following are the significance of this study:
1. The
outcome of this study will educate the general public on the problems and
prospects of adult education in Nigeria.
2. This research will also serve as a
resource base to other scholars and researchers interested in carrying out
further research in this field subsequently, if applied will go to an extent to
provide new explanation to the topic
1.6 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This
study on the problems and prospects of adult education in Nigeria will cover
all the challenges of adult education in Nigeria with a view of planning a
better future for that subsector of Nigeria education system.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the
efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature
or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire
and interview).
Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this
study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time
devoted for the research work.
REFERENCES
Dave, R. (1973) Life Long Education
and Alcohol, Hamburg: UNESCO, Institute of Education.
Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004)
National Policy on Education, Abuja Government Printer.
Nzeneri,
I.S. (2002). Handbook on adult education, principles and practice. OnitshaGoodway
printing press.
Onyenemezu,
E.C. (2003). Adult education and the
challenges of 21st century in Nigeria.
Education and practice (3),1-7
Bown, L. and Okedara, .LT. (1981) An
Introduction to the Study of Adult Education, lbadan: University Press Ltd
Haggai, M. and Mang, L. (2003)
‘Supplementing secondary education for poor families’, Nigerian Journal of
Curriculum Studies, VoL 10, 2.