Assessment of Adult Learner Enrollment Challenges in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Adult education is a vital component of lifelong learning and national development. Despite its importance, Rivers State, Nigeria, continues to experience low enrollment among adult learners. This study assesses the socioeconomic and cultural factors influencing enrollment and evaluates the effectiveness of government policies and institutional support. Using a descriptive survey design, the study adopted the descriptive survey design, with a population of 260 respondents comprising 25 facilitators and 200 learners in 7 vocational education centres in Rivers State. The entire population was adopted as census without sampling due to its small and manageable size. A 12-item researcher’s self-designed questionnaire tagged “Achieving Sustainable Development Goal One Through Vocational Education Questionnaire” was used for data collection. The questionnaire was validated, and its reliability index established at 0.82 using Cronbach Alpha statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions. Findings reveal that poverty, unemployment, family responsibilities, and cultural perceptions significantly reduce enrollment. Institutional weakness, including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, and weak policy implementation, further exacerbate the problem. The study concludes that low enrollment is the product of a complex interplay between individual level barriers and systemic weaknesses. Recommendations include expanding access to rural communities, strengthening policy weaknesses., and launching awareness campaigns to reshape cultural perceptions.