Effect of Adult Education Programmes on Civic Engagement in Rural Areas of Rivers State

Abstract

This study examined effect of adult education programmes on civic engagement in rural areas of Rivers State. Three research objectives, three research questions, and three null hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study comprised 712 adult male and female beneficiaries of adult education programmes in various adult education centres in rural communities of Rivers State, made up of 251 males and 461 females. Given the manageable size of the population, the entire population was studied without further sampling. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled "Effect of Adult Education Programmes on Civic Engagement in Rural Areas of Rivers State Questionnaire" (IAEPCERARSQ). The instrument was validated by the researcher's and two other experts in Adult Education and Community Development, Rivers State University, and its reliability was established using the Cronbach Alpha method, with coefficients for the individual constructs above the 0.70 threshold. The three research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while the three null hypotheses were tested using z-test statistics at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that civic education (grand means of 3.29 for male and 3.12 for female beneficiaries), adult literacy (grand means of 3.24 for male and 3.20 for female beneficiaries), and continuing education (grand means of 3.61 for male and 3.59 for female beneficiaries) programmes all have a positive effect on civic engagement in rural areas of Rivers State, with continuing education rated most highly. The z-test analyses further showed no significant difference between the mean responses of male and female beneficiaries on the effect of any of the three programmes. Based on the findings, the study recommended, among others, that state and local governments and other stakeholders should ensure that civic education, adult literacy, and continuing education programmes are regularly and functionally delivered in rural adult learning centres across Rivers State.