Functional Adult Education as an Instrument for Sustainable Rural Livelihood Development in Nigeria
*1Lakan Mohammed Jiya and 2Sani Sanusi
*1Department of Continuing Education and Community Development, Faculty of Education and Arts, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria. Email: mjlakan69@gmail.com
2Department of Adult and Non-Formal Education, School of Early Childhood Care, Primary, Adult and Non-Formal Education, Federal College of Education Kontagora, Niger State. Email: sanisanusi81@gmail.com
Abstract
Rural areas in developing countries are characterized by dependence on agriculture and natural resources; high prevalence of poverty, isolation, and marginality; neglect by policymakers; and lower human development. Functional adult education was provided as a second chance to those that have earlier missed schooling or could not complete schooling or want to further their education. Apart from being a right of everyone to be educated, adult education paves way for people to contribute to the development of themselves, their communities and the society at large for their livelihood improvement. It is on record that the present level of illiteracy is very high in Nigeria; this makes it difficult for Nigeria to achieve sustainable rural livelihood improvement. This paper therefore looks at various aspects of sustainable rural livelihood development and how functional adult education can serve as major instrument needed to achieve the desired goals. Using secondary data such as various documents and various Scholars’ view which add the Nigerian illiteracy rate at 31% as at 2023, the paper established that there is high number of population of illiterates in Nigeria; this number could drastically reduce through different functional adult education programmes to enhance rural livelihood development as no society can develop above the educational level of its members. The paper concludes that, an effective collaboration among all stakeholders is mandatory so that learners’ interest could be addressed and the paper suggests that, a systematic adult education policy be adopted and comprehensive education and training opportunities for adults that would expose them to various professional, vocational and other programmes of interest be embraced in order to achieve sustainable rural livelihood development.
Keywords
Functional Adult Education, Sustainable Development and Rural Livelihood
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