ABSTRACT

This study investigated the factors that motivate adults to participate in continuing education degree programmes at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti. Its objectives were to examine the influence of economic factors, socio-cultural factors and institutional factors on learners’ participation. The study was guided by Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation, which holds that motivated learners are more likely to enrol in a programme and to complete the learning cycle. A descriptive survey design was used. The sample consisted of 2 adult education supervisors, 5 adult education instructors and 70 adult learners. Data were analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and presented in frequency tables, graphs, pie charts and percentages.

The major findings were that there were more female than male instructors; that there was an acute shortage of instructors; that learners were generally of low socio-economic status; that Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) centres received no financial support, which lowered morale; that most women preferred mixed classes while men preferred classes for men only; that participation in the programme was low; that the centres lacked relevant teaching and learning materials; and that there was no approved curriculum for the ACE programme.

The study recommended that gender balance be observed in the employment of instructors; that government provide capitation grants to adult learners, infrastructure improvement grants to ACE centres and adequate teaching and learning materials; and that part-time instructors be replaced with full-time instructors to ease the shortage. It also recommended further research on the impact of the Regenerated Freirean Literacy through Empowering Community Techniques (REFLECT) methodology on literacy provision and community empowerment, and a national literacy survey to establish the actual literacy rate in Nigeria.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

In a world shaped by rapidly changing technology, adults need more than basic literacy and numeracy: they need continuing opportunities to learn, upgrade their qualifications and adapt to changing demands at work. Adult learning and education is widely recognised as a means of improving health, livelihoods, civic participation and quality of life, and it is part of the global commitment to lifelong learning set out in the Sustainable Development Goals, which call for inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all (United Nations, 2015). Participation, however, remains uneven. The Fifth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education found that although participation had increased in more than half of reporting countries since 2018, it remains insufficient overall and adult education still fails to reach those who need it most, such as disadvantaged and rural populations; in 23% of the 159 countries that supplied data, fewer than 1% of people aged 15 and above took part in education and learning programmes (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning [UIL], 2022a).

Nigeria’s own figures show why adult education matters. The adult literacy rate was estimated at 62.0% in 2022, with a rate of 71.3% for men and 52.7% for women (UNESCO UIL, 2022b). Many adults therefore missed the chance of a full formal education, while many others who completed secondary school seek degrees later in life to improve their careers. Continuing education degree programmes meet both needs. They allow working adults to study part-time, on weekends or during vacations without leaving their jobs, and they are offered at universities, including Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

Why adults choose to take part in such programmes has been studied widely. A systematic review of 74 studies published between 2000 and 2025 found that intrinsic motivation, such as interest in learning and personal fulfilment, was the most consistent determinant of adult learners’ participation in higher education, reported in 77% of studies, and that career and extrinsic motives, family support and flexible provision also encouraged participation (Park & Su, 2026). The same review found that work–study conflict, time constraints and financial pressure were the commonest barriers, and that institutional conditions have become increasingly important in recent studies (Park & Su, 2026). In a study of in-service students in higher education programmes, which used Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as its framework, self-actualisation was the strongest motivator, followed by esteem, physiological and safety needs, with social needs the weakest; low-income students ranked physiological needs highest (Noureen et al., 2019).

These findings suggest three broad groups of influences, which this study examines: economic factors, such as income, cost of study and the prospect of better pay; socio-cultural factors, such as family support, gender roles and community attitudes; and institutional factors, such as facilities, scheduling, support services and programme design. Institutional factors are particularly relevant at Ekiti State University itself. A recent survey of 150 adult education students, administrators and educators at the university found that inadequate facilities, rigid course schedules, limited support services and teaching methods unsuited to adults significantly affected the accessibility and quality of the programme, and that university policies lacked sufficient support and mentorship for adult students (Kayode et al., 2025). Similar barriers, including poor facilities, have been identified in public adult education elsewhere (Pickard, 2019).

Participation in the continuing education programmes of the university appears to be low. This study therefore examines the economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors that motivate adults to participate in continuing education degree programmes at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Adult and continuing education degree programmes offer a second chance and a route to career advancement, and they contribute to individual and national development. At Ekiti State University, however, participation in the programmes appears to be low, even though many adults in the area could benefit from them. Institutional barriers such as inadequate facilities, rigid schedules and limited support services have been found to discourage enrolment (Kayode et al., 2025), and studies elsewhere show that economic pressure, work–study conflict and family circumstances also shape whether adults take part (Park & Su, 2026). The economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors that motivate participation have not been examined together at the university. This study was therefore carried out to find out the factors that influence participation in the continuing education degree programmes of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to establish the factors that motivate adults to participate in continuing education degree programmes at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The following objectives guided the study:

1. to examine the influence of economic factors on learners’ participation in continuing education degree programmes;
2. to establish the influence of socio-cultural factors on learners’ participation in continuing education degree programmes; and
3. to assess the influence of institutional factors on learners’ participation in continuing education degree programmes.

1.5 Research Questions

The study attempted to answer the following research questions:

1. What is the influence of economic factors on learners’ participation in continuing education degree programmes?
2. What is the influence of socio-cultural factors on learners’ participation in continuing education degree programmes?
3. How do institutional factors influence learners’ participation in continuing education degree programmes?

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study may give policy makers useful information on the reasons behind low participation in continuing education in the area, and it may support the kind of financial incentives for adult learners that have been studied as ways of raising adult enrolment (Collom, 2022). It may help education managers to run programmes that are relevant to learners’ needs and to guide instructors appropriately, since the monitoring and evaluation of adult education programmes needs to be centred on learners’ needs (Assefa, 2021). Instructors may gain skills for managing programmes at centre level, leading to higher participation. Adult learners stand to gain skills and qualifications that improve their incomes and quality of life, contributing to poverty reduction in the area and in the country.

1.7 Limitations of the Study

The study anticipated lack of openness among respondents, which could affect the findings if some gave false information. This was addressed by establishing rapport with respondents and assuring them that the data would be treated confidentially. A second anticipated limitation was that some learning venues might not be easy to locate, which would make it difficult to find some of the sampled respondents. This was addressed by establishing the actual learning days and times in advance.

1.8 Delimitations of the Study

Delimitations refer to the scope of the study. The study was delimited to male and female adult learners who attended continuing education degree programmes, since participation in the programmes was lower than the potential demand for them. It was carried out at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, because evidence suggested low participation in the programme despite the university’s ability to serve a large adult population.

1.9 Assumptions of the Study

The study assumed that respondents would answer accurately and freely. It also assumed that the centres keep proper and up-to-date records of admission and attendance.

1.10 Definition of Operational Terms

Adult learner: a mature individual who takes part in a learning situation intended to bring about change.

Continuing education degree programme: a degree programme designed for adults, usually studying part-time, in the evenings, at weekends or during vacations, alongside work or other responsibilities.

Participation: active involvement in a learning programme, including enrolling, attending and continuing to the end of the learning cycle.

Motivation: the expression of the need or desire to learn.

Economic factors: factors relating to income, cost of study, employment and financial support that affect adults’ decision to take part.

Socio-cultural factors: factors relating to family, gender roles, community attitudes and social expectations that affect adults’ decision to take part.

Institutional factors: features of the institution that affect participation, such as facilities, scheduling, support services, curriculum and policies.

Adult literacy: the ability of adults to read and write with understanding, and to compute, using printed and written materials.

Literacy rate: the percentage of people aged 15 years and above who can read and write with understanding a short, simple statement about their everyday life.

References

Assefa, Y. (2021). Towards learner-oriented monitoring and evaluation in adult education programmes: A vital approach to ensure adult learners’ learning needs. Education Research International, 2021, Article 6663700. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6663700

Collom, G. (2022). A quasi-experimental investigation of adult student enrollment responses to the Tennessee Reconnect Grant. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 47(6), 478–493. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2022.2050838

Kayode, G. M., Adewumi, D. M., Adebo, D. K., & Adedokun, M. O. (2025). Institutional factors influencing low enrollment in the adult education programme at Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. International Journal of Adult Learning and Continuing Education, 8(1), 87–94.

Noureen, G., Awan, R.-u.-N., Maan, Y. A., & Abid, A. (2019). Motivational factors for in-service students enrolled in higher education programs. Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 29(2).

Park, J.-H., & Su, M. N. (2026). Adult learners’ participation in higher education: A systematic review of determinants and barriers (2000–2025). Trends in Higher Education, 5(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/higheredu5010019

Pickard, A. (2019). Barriers to access in public adult literacy education. Educational Policy, 35(5), 721–747. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904819843602

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2022a). 5th Global Report on Adult Learning and Education: Citizenship education – Empowering adults for change. UNESCO UIL.

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2022b). GAL country profiles: Nigeria. https://www.uil.unesco.org/sites/default/files/medias/files/2022/11/gal_country_profiles_nigeria.pdf

United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda