CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of study
Education is process of creation, perpetuation,
transmission and enrichment of cultural values, and development. According to
G.S. Pure, “adult education teaches people the culture of their society and
enable them to live accordingly to it ways. It is a process of ‘directed’
learning-directed primarily towards the individuals’ personality in consonance
with the ways of the society. It aims out bringing about more effective
participation in the desirable values, in this way the adult education is a
great socialising agency”. (Sagar, 2007).
Adult
education and lifelong learning have been cited as key to achieving international
development targets designed to reduce poverty levels around the world
(UNESCO-IL 2009). Whilst the links between education and poverty have long been
understood (Oxaal 1997), adult education, and it relationship to the process
of lifelong learning, is inadequately understood. Equally, the concept of
poverty is constantly changing and needs further elaboration.
Efforts
at improving the rural areas of Nigeria predated the independence of the
country since 1960. The major efforts made in the pre independence, according
to Omale and Molem (2003), were in the area of farm settlement schemes. The aim
was to bring scattered small communities together so that they could take advantage
of economies of scale in farm inputs, agro-services, marketing, etc. These
schemes recorded little or no success because those that were to be affected
were not involved at the planning stages. Since then, a number of government
programmes have been put in place to improve basic services, infrastructure and
housing facilities for the rural population, extending access to credit, farm
inputs and creating employment.
These
efforts can be classified into the Pre- Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP)
Era; SAP Era and the Democratic Era.
Successive
governments, both military and democratic have introduced different programmes
to reduce poverty level among the rural populace. One of such programmes during
the military era was Better Life Programme (BLP). Dakyes and Mundi (2013)
opined that poverty in Nigeria is a rural phenomenon and the rural women are
worst hit by the dreadful scourge of poverty; this is due to lack of basic
skill and education necessary for gainful employment. Based on available
evidence, Ogwumike (1998) concluded that the BLP made tremendous impact with
regard to poverty alleviation. However, the success of the programme was short
– lived.
During
the current democratic era, major factors hindering the success of government efforts
to reduce the level of Poverty were identified among others to include; Poor coordination,
Absence of a comprehensive policy framework, Excessive political interference, Ineffective
targeting of the poor, leading to leakage of benefits to unintended
beneficiaries, Overlapping functions, which led to institutional rivalry and conflicts
among others (Ogwumike, 1998; 2002 and Egware, 1997). This review resulted into a more focus anti-
poverty programme- National Poverty Alleviation programme by the Obasanjo
administration which was transformed into National poverty Eradication Programme
(NAPEP). NAPEP is the repository of knowledge, data and information on all
poverty eradication activities in the country; and the major institutional
arrangement to ensure social protection for the vulnerable groups such as the rural
poor, women, youth and children in Nigeria (NAPEP, 2007). According to Adejugbe
(2004), the state and local governments were by passed in the implementation of
the programme. The rural areas were not beneficiaries of this programme as it
was concentrated in the urban areas (state capitals). Furthermore, the sure-p
scheme was introduced by the Jonathan administration as a result of removal of
subsidy on petroleum (Nssien, 2013). The money realized from subsidy removal is
to be spent on projects that have direct positive impacts on members of the
public, most especially, the poor. These include skill acquisition, youth and
women empowerment, job creation, construction of roads, rehabilitation of
public moribund infrastructure, provision of housing and health, and meeting
the millennium development goals agenda (MDG). The introduction of sure-p
however led to the abolition of NAPEP.
Even
though, some rural populace have benefitted from several programmes from
successive governments, many rural communities have not directly benefitted
from these programmes, which has made life unbearable for many rural dwellers
who lives in abject poverty.
Literacy has both direct and indirect impact on
successful implementation of rural development programmes. Moreover people’s
participation in each and every stage of implementation of welfare programmes
in a literate environment yields positive results. Further, the programmes
either literacy or welfare must be designed with a people-centred development
approach. Hence, this study examines the role of adult education
in poverty alleviation among rural populace using Hong Local Government Area of
Adamawa State as a case study.
1.2 Statement of problems
The
yardstick to measure the extent of the educational development of the citizen
depends on the reasoning ability of the people. The behaviour, the approach to
solving problems and the physical appearance of the citizens.
It
is obvious that education is very essential especially now that almost
everybody wants to be educated and enlightened. Many people want to be literate
so as to be able to be informed because he who is not informed is definitely
deformed and he who is deformed is abnormal.
Poverty as a problem does not go
alone. It goes with numerous problem that could be completely inextricable
from. It drags some other problem along such as mal-nutrition, low standard of
living, shabby and tattered diseases. In other words all these problem hinges
on poverty.
Moreover, with the observation of this
problem, pauper lacks the resources to attain adult education or send their
wards to school. And even in communities where adult education is free, the pauper
still faces an uphill task because the hunger of the body impedes the proper
nourishment of the mind”. From the above explanation, it could be seen that
poverty hinders the proper growth and development of not only adult, but also
children, intellectually, educationally, psychologically and otherwise.
Persons who have low per capital
income will have their educational development impaired as they cannot have
access to those things that make life worth a living. This study delved into the
role of education in poverty alleviation among rural populace using Hong Local
Government Area of Adamawa State, as a case study.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The
broad aim of the study is to examine the roles of adult education in poverty
alleviation among rural populace. The study exposes how adult education can
help improve the level of poverty among the rural populace. The specific roles
are;
1. To
determine the impact of poverty on rural dwellers
2. To
examine the challenges the rural dweller face due to poverty
3. To
evaluate whether adult education is a desirable or undesirable criteria for
alleviation of poverty;
4. To
ascertain the roles adult education plays in alleviation of poverty among rural
dwellers
5. To
suggest adequate ways through which adult education can help eradicate poverty
and improved the standard of living among the rural populace.
1.4 Significance of study
This
research work is significant as it is expected to expose the needs for adult
education in poverty alleviation in the country as it has to do with the life
wire of the society and create better awareness about the impact adult
education has on abject poverty within the rural areas. Other significance
includes the following;
1. This
piece of work will help us to study how our country’s education development
policy can help to reduce the incidence of poverty thereby eliminating the
permanent or seasonal occurrence of poverty in the midst of its rural inhabitants.
2. The
knowledge gained in this study will help us to know the importance of adult
education in community and society at large.
3. The
findings of this work will enable the government to know that it has a role to
play in the abridgement of the income inequality between the rich and the poor
so that the latter could afford the educational training expenses for their families.
1.5 Research Questions
The
following research were formulated to guide this study.
1. Does
poverty have any impact on rural dwellers?
2. What
are the challenges facing the rural dweller due to poverty?
3. Is
adult education a desirable or undesirable criteria for alleviation of poverty?
4. What
are the roles adult education plays in alleviation of poverty among rural
dwellers?
5. What
are the ways through which adult education can help eradicate poverty and
improved the standard of living among the rural populace?
1.6 Scope of the study
Because
of the plethora of problem in educational sector in Nigeria, this study have
decided to concentrate only on the roles of adult education in poverty
alleviation among rural populace. It is pertinent to note that poverty affects
other facets of human lives of not only the rural dwellers, but also urban
dweller. However, this study focuses on poverty alleviation through adult
education in rural areas.
1.7 Definition of terms
Poverty:
A state of having far less limited resources against numerous wants, where a
person is incapable of providing all his basic necessities of life (clothes,
shelter and food).
Adult Education: This
is a practice in which adults engage in systemic and sustained self-educating
activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, altitudes, or
values.
Alleviation: The
action or process of making suffering, deficiency, or a problem less severe
Rural Populace: This
is a geographical area that is located outside towns and cities.