INFLUENCE OF MOTIVATION ON THE EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION OF RURAL WOMEN IN ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Abstract

Education is the process of becoming critically aware of one’s reality in a manner that leads to effective action upon it. The plight of women, in terms of education is further compounded by the negative attitude of parents toward female education. Some parents are usually reluctant to send their girl child for formal education especially to higher levels like their male counterpart. The writer examined influence of motivation on the effective participation of rural women in adult basic education. The purpose of the study was to examine the concept of basic education in Nigeria, assess women education, find out the rate of enrolment between male and female students and highlight the problems facing institutions considering enrolment of female adult learners in Nigeria.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Education is the process of becoming critically aware of one’s reality in a manner that leads to effective action upon it. An educated man or woman understands his or her world well enough to deal with it effectively. Such men or women if they existed in sufficient numbers would not leave the absurdities of the present world unchanged. In the opinion of Edukugho (2002) cited in Imogie (2002), the prosperity of a country depends not on the abundance of its revenue, nor the strength of its fortifications, but on the number of its cultivated citizens, men and women of education, enlightenment and character. The Federal Government of Nigeria has adopted education as an instrument per excellence for effecting national development (NPE, 1998). The implication is that government realizes the importance of education as a veritable tool for national development. Thus, the policy guidance of the NPE asserts that: Education will continue to be highly rated in the national development plans, because education is the most important instrument of change, as any fundamental change in the intellectual social outlook of any society has to be preceded by an educational revolution (NPE, 1998:8). Specifically, the national policy on women section 6.1.3 submits that: For (the) Nigerian women to enjoy the full benefits of contemporary living, they require basic education to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country. Government shall in this regard increase girls and women’s participation in education irrespective of their location and circumstances (p.17). It can be said therefore that the main focus of government education agenda is to bring about optimal development of its human resources, which, put in another word, is a viable source of human capital. This investment however will not be complete without women education. According to James Aggrey cited by NCCE (1998), if you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a family, that is, a nation. Women from time immemorial have been saddled with many family responsibilities and are traditionally assigned many roles including custody of children, maintenance of the home, feeding of the family, and preservation of family health. Consequent upon those traditional role expectations, they become a significant factor in socioeconomic and political development of a country. Apart from roles earlier enumerated for the typical woman, the modern day woman, who is expected to be a wife, then a mother is, like her traditional counterpart, expected to play the role of a dutiful home keeper. In playing this role, she is expected to be capable of handling challenges of modern world of automation and computer. Another challenge before her is that imposed on her as the first and the last teacher of the child before and after school. This is especially pertinent because, she is expected to prepare the child to be able to cope with the challenges of the contemporary world. The simple implication of this reality is that the typical contemporary woman is not likely to play these roles efficiently unless she is fortified with adequate and functional education. adult literacy programmes aim at providing knowledge and skills to adults and out of school youth to improve their quality of life and contribute effectively to national development. The programmes cover two main areas namely: the basic literacy and the post literacy programmes. On the other hand continuing education programmes build on previously acquired knowledge and skills for purposes of certification, self-improvement and more effective participation in community and national development. These programmes  provide opportunities for youth and adults to integrate into the formal education and to improve their knowledge and technical skills. The programmes aim at building capacity by giving knowledge, skills, attitudes and values which enable people to engage in gainful employment and improve on the quality of life.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

According to the monitoring report (UNESCO, 2006), despite some countries having an increase in adult literacy rates in many parts of the world, there is a marked distinction between those countries making relatively rapid progress and those that are making relative slow progress towards achieving the EFA goal for literacy. The report notes that countries making slow progress, among them Nigeria, are at risk of not achieving this goal by 2020. It is against this backdrop that the researcher intends to investigate the influence of motivation on the effective participation of rural women in adult basic education programs.

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to investigate the influence of motivation on the effective participation of rural women in adult basic education program. But to aid the completion of the study, the researcher intend to achieve the following specific objective:

1. To ascertain the effect of motivation on women participation in basic education programs
2. To ascertain if there is any relationship between motivation and effective participation of rural women in adult basic education program

• To investigate the role of government in ensuring women participation in adult basic education programs

1. To proffer suggested solution to the identified problem
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

To aid the completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher:

H₀: motivation has no effect on women participation in basic education programs.

H₁: motivation has effect on women participation in basic education programs.

H₀²: there is no relationship between motivation and effective participation of rural women in adult basic education program

H₂: there is a relationship between motivation and effective participation of rural women in adult basic education program

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings of the study will be of importance to the ministry of education, as the findings will help them formulate policies that will encourage rural women participation in basic education program, the study will also be useful to the management of basic adult education programs as the study seek to explore avenue in which the program will be embrace by rural women. Research students who may want to use the study as a source of reference in their academic pursuit. Finally the study will be of importance to academia’s student and the general public as the study will contribute to the pool of literature already available on the subject matter.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the influence of motivation on the effective participation of rural women in adult basic education program. In the cause of the study, there were some factors which limited the scope of the study

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher have to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) FINANCE: the finance available to the researcher is a major constrain to the scope of the study, as the researcher has to maximize the available resources to course work and the study

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Motivation

Motivation is the reason for people’s actions, desires, and needs. Motivation is also one’s direction to behavior, or what causes a person to want to repeat a behavior.^[  A motive is what prompts the person to act in a certain way, or at least develop an inclination for specific behavior.

Adult education program

Adult education is a public education program for all adults. Adult schools offer free to low-cost classes for adults 18 and older. Students can get a high school diploma, general education diploma (GED), learn about jobs, learn to speak English, and learn how to become a U.S. citizen.

Education

Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research

1.8 STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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