ABSTRACT
This research work assesses the role of Adult Education programmes in poverty alleviation in Egor local government area of Edo state achieve the purpose of the study. Five research questions were raised and analyzed using the sample size of 90 respondents. Simple percentage and frequency count were used to analyze the data collected. Findings of the study revealed that there exist various adult education programmes in Egor local government area of Edo state. Also that there exist a strong relationship between Adult education and poverty alleviation. It was also discovered that Adult education programmes has impact on poverty alleviation. Further more,it was also observed that Adult Education programmes has improved the socio development of the people of Egor local government area. Finally, the community dwellers perceive Adult Education programme as a solid step toward poverty alleviation.
Chapter one
Introduction
Background of the study
In Nigeria, poverty is pervasive, 65 million people which is about half the population is said to live below one dollar in a day, with 8 million children having no access to education (This day. Tuesday October 24, 2006). Today, no society has succeeded in eliminating poverty completely perhaps, the reason Kankwenda (2001) averred that “The global challenge posed to mankind by the scourge of poverty is unparalled. about 12 million Children die each year before reaching the fifth birthday and daily more than 800 million people includingwomen and children go to bed empty Stomach like war, poverty leaves its trial, among its many victims, those who lives are permanently blighted – under nourished and stunted children, over worked and Undervalued women and an- unsure world (Kankwenda, 2001 p 120)
The menace of poverty can be felt all over the world from the degree of its manifestation in unemployment, starvation, conflict, crime, war and the likes but it is more prevalent in some regions than the other.
The level of poverty in Nigeria Since the implantation of structural adjustment programme in the 1980s has tremendously increased. The harmonized Nigeria living standard survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) with support from World Bank, The Department For International Development( DFID) and The United Children’s Fund( UNICEF) shows that a staggering 112. 519 million Nigerians live in relative poverty condition. This figure represents 69 percent of the country’s total population which is estimated to be 163 million. More worrisome is the fact that poverty rate is rising at the time the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate is put at 7.75 percent.
In a 26 – page report, ” The Nigeria poverty profile 2010, The statistician – general of the National Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Yemi Kola noted that “The figure might increase to 71.5 percent when the 2011 figure is computed especially if the potential impacts of several acts – poverty and unemployment generation intervention programmes are not factored in the report, which provides details at poverty and income distribution across the country put the 2004 poverty measure rate at 54.4 percent. It also shows that income inequality has risen from 0.429 in 2004 to 0.447 in 2010. The highlight of the report shows that the North – west and the North – East has the highest poverty rates in the country in 2010 with 77.7 percent and 76.3 percent respectively. However, the South – West geo- political zone recorded the lowest at 59.1 percent of all the 36 states of the federation. Sokoto had the highest poverty rate at 86.4 percent while Niger had the lowest rate at 43.6 percent. The 2004 poverty rate showed that Jigawa state had the highest rate of 95 percent while Anambra state was the least poverty stricken state at 22 percent (Nigeria poverty profile 2010 report,) Nigerian weight, February 2014).
The concern we the increasing poverty level in Nigeria and the need for its eradication as a measure of improving the standard of living of the people has led to the conceptualization and implementation of various targeted or non – target poverty eradication and alleviation programmes. Imaekhai (2000) observes that, “The fact that poverty is still very much a problem in Nigeria even on a higher magnitude points to the failure of pervious attempts made by both civilian and military government to tackle the problem”. Some government programmes and agencies established to reduce poverty includes;
The directorate of food, road and rural infrastructure
The national Directorate of Employment (NDE)
The Establishment of the people’s Bank of Nigeria in 1989
The better life programme (BLP)
The family support programme (FSP)
The Agricultural Development Programme (ADP)
National Agricultural land development Authority (NALDA)
The Nomadic and Adult Education progamme established in 1986.
The National poverty Eradication programme (NAPEP) established in 2000 which took off in 2001. The programmes only served as conduct pipes to the elite and made the rich, richer. It was basically marred by corruption.
No wonder Ihonvbere (2008) asserts that: “We have always had a bureaucracy that as we have had dependence, underdevelopment, instability, corruption, waste, misplaced priorities and poverty. (Ihonvbere, 2008. P6) Similarly, Kankwenda (2001) posits that: “The problem of poverty in Nigeria is poor targeting, Lack of coordination, lack of transparency, lack of sustainability, lack of ownership, the top down recipient syndrome, too narrow focus, too broad scope, too thin spread, too frequent changes and bad governance in general” (kankwenda, 2001 p. 122) A successful poverty alleviation strategy would require full and proper development of human capital through equitable education polity (World Bank 2000). This shows that World Bank believes that education is the main ingredient for the eradication of poultry. The statement,
“No country can successfully eradicate poverty without educating the citizen “ is supported by Merlin (2002). When the scholar stated that “improvement in education will lead to reduction in poverty which in turn will lead to an increase in demand for education and finally improving the education status of the people’. Merlin further argues that “although education is a long term measure in nature and effect, it has the potential for making the gains in poverty reduction more effective and sustainable. (Merlin, 2002).
According to Khan and Williams (2006), Adam Smith believe that” Education makes people more sophisticated and progressive and this is very essential for the smooth functioning of a nations’ economy. This is supported by the statement made by Akari (2012), “Every society, community or state needs some form of education to be relevant, functional and fulfill its social obligation”. Education helps people to advance their frontier of knowledge. For United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) “the measure of the eradication of poverty is by reducing universal primary education and adult education. According to UNESCO, the crucial issue to be addressed by education for the eradication of poverty in their education of the poor children who are usually here equipped emotionally, physically and socially to undertake a school programme and also the education of goals who are particularly at risk as they tend to be prone to all forms of abuse and very often confined to household in which they are virtually slaves.
UNICEF (2000) also agree to the fact that “it is through education that individuals realize their potentials to contribute to production, wealth creation and execution of various roles that make for national development poverty alleviation has become an important goal development agenda in many developing countries and this is also the agenda of several international development organizations like UNDP, world Bank and UNICEF (Merlin, 2002, WB, 1980b, 1990, 2000 and UNDP 2000). During the world education forum held in Dakar in April 2000, the international community underscored the need to eradicate extreme poverty and gave it collective commitment to work toward its aim through education. This situation has not change even with the declaration of the United Nation Millennium development goals (MDGs) which has the “Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger” as its first goal, with the target of “halving those living in less than a dollar a day in 2015.
Statement of the problem
Nigeria is estimated to be the third in world poverty index (World Bank 2014 report). Jim Young Kin (World Bank president) at the recent IMF/World Bank spring meetings restated that Nigeria is one of the top five countries that have the largest number of poor. It is a pity that many Nigerians are living below poverty line. Between 2004 and 2010, Nigeria poverty line rose from 54.4 percent to 69 percent with GDP which had little impact on the country’s poverty level. By 2011 relative poverty had risen to about 71.5 percent absolute 61.9 percent and per dollar a day 62.8 percent respectively (NBs) as quoted by subair (2012). The paradox is that while a privilege few Nigerians are living in opulence, majority are wallowing in object poverty. The extent scenario where only a few Nigerians are enjoying from the collective patrimony while majority are excluded is unacceptable and may likely breed social discontent if not well and quickly addressed. (Nigerian Insight February 2014). Second edition of the Nigeria Economic report (NER) and Analysis from the new general household survey. (GHS) conducted by national Bureau of statistics with the support from World Bank, new poverty estimates in 2010/2011 and 2012 / 2013 is within the range of 35.2 percent and 33.1 percent respectively.
This epidemic increase in poverty is worrisome and needs to be tackled. Several poverty alleviation programmes have been established by both government and non – governmental organization which is geared towards reducing the poverty situation to the barest minimum yet, poverty is still in the increase. To this extent, the problem of this study is an assessment of the role of adult education programmes in poverty alleviation in EGOR L.G.A of Edo State.
Purpose of the study
The major objective of this study is to investigate the roles of adult education programmes in poverty alleviation. Specifically, this study also seeks to achieve the following purposes.
- To find out the various types of adult education programmes use for poverty alleviation in Egor L.G.A of Edo State
- To ascertain if there is any relationship between adult education programmes and poverty alleviation
- To determine the impact of adult education programmes on poverty alleviation
- To discover the impact of various poverty alleviation programmes by government on the socio – development of the people
- To find out how community dwellers perceive adult education programmes in Egor L.G.A of Edo State.
In order to achieve the purpose of this study, the following questions were raised to serve as a guide
Research Questions
In order to achieve the purpose of this study, the following questions were raised to serve as a guide
- Are you aware of any type of adult education programme in Egor L.G.A of Edo state
- Is there any relationship between adult education programme and poverty alleviation
- Has adult education had any impact on poverty alleviation
- What impact had the various poverty alleviation programme had on the social development of the people of Egor L.G.A of Edo State.
- How do the community dwellers perceive adult education programmes in Egor L.G.A of Edo state
Significance of the study
Poverty has being a global phenomenon that is affecting different countries of the world at different level. This means it is global issue that needs to be tackled. The findings of this study will enlighten the Nigerian government at all levels (Federal, State and Local) as well as private individuals to become aware of the roles played by adult education programmes in alleviating poverty.
This study will provide both qualitative and quantitative data on the impact of adult education programmes in poverty alleviation strategies in Egor L.G.A of Edo State. This study will be useful to various individual advising them on how they can tap into available adult education programmes to improve their standard of living and impact positively on their environment. Different countries also use this study to bring about social responsibility, perception and development in their communities
Scope of the study
The poverty level of the people of Egor local government area of Edo State is on the increase. Hence the need to assess the role of adult education programmes in this area. The study is delimited to community dwellers of Egor Local Government area of Edo State. This shell be randomly selected to have a true representation of the area. Some of the poverty alleviation programme participants will be given a questionnaire to fill while some of the activities of the scheme will be examined. Finally, the extent to which the communities in Egor local Government area and its people have benefited from the scheme will be scrutinized.
Limitation of the study
The researcher faced some challenges which tended to affect the quality of the study, they include;
Time: the researcher faced with the problem of time constraint due to the short period allocated for the study. Due to this, the researcher could not interact with as much participants he wanted.
Access: the researcher could not access some of the communities in Egor L.G.A because of the fact that they lacked accessible or motor able roads.
Also source of the participants were reluctant or unwilling to provide the researcher with the necessary information for the study. This forced him to continue the research with the much he was able to collect.
DEFINTION OF TERMS
ADULT EDUCATION: Refers to any flexible organized learning experience provided outside the formal school systems which have been purposely designed to meet specific need of the adult.
ALLEVIATION: This is a process of making an improvement by lessening the pains and problems emanating from poverty for an individual emanating from poverty for an individual or a group of people.
POVERTY: The state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions.
PROGRAMMES: These are integrated course of academic studies. They can also mean systems of project or services intended to meet public needs. Also, they can mean series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished.
STRATEGIES: This can be said to be plans of action or policy designed to achieve a major overall aim. Strategies are types of problem solving.
