EMPOW ERING RURAL ADULTS THROUGH ADULT AND NON- FORMAL EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria government is currently implementing the National poverty alleviation programme with the dim of improving poor people’s welfare and empowering them to become more functional in the society. Government appears to have shown some measure of commitment to the implementation of this programme, notwithstanding the fact that the programme still suffers from most of the ills of the past. However there is lucna here. It appears government has not realized the potency of adult and non-formal education as an agent of poverty alleviation. This paper examined: the missing link in the past poverty alleviation schemes in Nigeria and the extent to which empowerment of rural adults through adult and non-formal education programmes can help in targeting rural poverty for sustainable rural development in Nigeria considering the fact that it is widely accepted that poverty and illiteracy are intrinsically interrelated and adult education is ope of the most important and efficient ways to empower the poor. The paper, finally recommended among others that adult and non-formal education should be community based to allow for participant driven arrangement. Special community education programmes in form of Literacy for Poverty Alleviation (LPA) and Poverty Awareness Campaign (PAC) should be mounted. While LPA will emphasize functional literacy, skill improvement, entrepreneurial skill, management of small scale business and extension education, the focus of PAC would be on public enlightenment on die causes of poverty, rural poverty alleviation programmes and how to benefit from the programmes.