Chapter one

Introduction

Background to the study

Motivational strategies are key strategies which enables for the participation of adults in adult literacy programmes in Benin city. In Lay man words these programmes enables adult learners to be motivated or interested in enrolling for adult education programmes. Some these motivational strategies include quality and conducive learning environment, free adult learning programmes, free Skill acquisition programmes and incentives such as funds given to adult earners which have successfully completed their training in adult programmes. The above mentioned helps to encourage and serves and motivations to encourage participation of adult learners in literacy programmes especially in Benin city.

Adults are typically highly remarkable individuals with distinctive traits, a wealth of experience, and a variety of issues that have to be addressed through community education. Literacy is synonymous with the enlightenment of the mind and soul, freedom, justice, and awareness, while illiteracy produces ignorance, servitude, marginalisation, and injustice . As a result, basic literacy instruction turns into a real instrument for assisting individuals in acquiring the fundamental knowledge and abilities necessary to become effective in life. Basic literacy prorgasms are learning activities created to satisfy the demands of adult learners.  The primary goal of a basic literacy programme is to provide individuals who are illiterate with the fundamental abilities of reading, writing, and computation through the use of local languages, particularly the mother tongue. The goal is to provide the students with the fundamental tools for communication and environmental awareness.

According to Nzeneri (2017) An adult is someone who is financially, socially, and politically responsible, as well as physically and psychologically mature. By physical or biological criteria, it suggests that one can be considered an adult when they exhibit sexual characteristics such as growing out pubic hairs, changes in voice, body physique, expansion of the breasts, observation of the female menstrual cycle, and other traits that will allow them to become parents, choose a partner, raise a family, and manage a home

A person is considered to be an adult if they have reached their full physical potential and are expected to be able to participate in society as a contributing worker, parent, and member of the workforce. Being engaged in what others are doing with the intention of reaching specific goals is what is meant by participation. Participation refers to actively taking part in a group activity. Therefore, the ideal way to define adult learners' participation is as active participants in learning activities that enhance their well-being, skills, and knowledge.. Participation is the active engagement in literacy-promoting social action through empowering participatory tactics and approaches. According to this claim, in order to persuade adult learners of the importance of an adult basic literacy curriculum, andragogical and social actions must be taken.  When adult learners participate in the learning process, particularly if the learning objectives are focused on meeting their educational requirements, they become more engaged and committed.. A variety of key tactics that must really stimulate or motivate adult learners to participate in basic literacy programmes are necessary to persuade them to do so. A theoretical concept called motivation is utilised to explain human behaviour. It represents the motivations behind people's desires, needs, and behaviours. Motivation is a mechanism that encourages adult learners to participate in programmes like basic literacy in order to improve their wellbeing. To maintain the adult learners' attention and participation, an inventive facilitator and organiser of basic literacy sessions must therefore create circumstances where higher level requirements for literacy learning can be sensed. In this regard, Ugwu (2019) states that the goal of conscientization is to increase people's awareness of their circumstances so that they will act to improve them. This approach can be utilised to inform community members who are adults about the need of taking part in a basic literacy project. According to Kobani and Alozie (2019), Conscientization is the process of raising people's critical levels of consciousness, causing them to inquire about matters that concern them and then make decisions that could enhance their lives by changing their circumstances in a way they believed was right.. The primary function of oral media is to communicate traditional, artistic, historical, technical, social, ethical, and religious qualities through teaching and initiation. By providing people with the information they need, traditional media will encourage their interest in engaging in programmes to improve their basic literacy abilities. The adult individuals within communities must be mobilised and made aware of topics that are very important to them through partnering with community stakeholders. They believe that this strategy involves opinion leaders, chiefs, community leaders, community-based organisations that include female members and youth bodies in raising awareness of the adult basic literacy programme and the necessity for adult rural residents to participate in order for them to benefit from being informed and gaining the fundamental literacy skills that will enable these individuals to function in life. effective contact and collaboration with community stakeholders will be necessary to engage adult members of communities in meaningful initiatives or development activities.

Adult learners are motivated to participate in basic literacy programmes by a variety of factors, including the desire to advance their careers, acquire new information or education, elevate their social status, socialise, improve their mental health, increase their psychological capacity, and develop their political and religious perspectives. It is based on this ground that this study was set out to examine the motivational strategies that could motivate the illiterate adults to participate in basic literacy programmes in Benin in Edo state

Statement of the Problem

 The reality in the area of the study opines that Adult facilitators often do not know or understand what inspires adult learners to participate in adult education programme. The present study will underscore that illiterates tend to be motivated by the same desire for self-actualisation as any other member of society, and may well stop participating in classes unless facilitators are more responsive to their needs and aspirations. Adults are not motivated enough to participate in the adult basic education programmes especially in Benin city. Thus there is a great need for illiterate adults to attend adult basic education programmes. The unemployment rate is too high in this community and Nigeria at large, Although such challenges may be counteracted by adult basic education programmes that are provided in the area, these adults are simply not motivated to participate in such programmes. Adults are now being offered free computer skills training programme in Benin city by the government and other relevant bodies. The programme was aimed at empowering the community with computer skills so as to be economically competent. Unfortunately, the programme could not continue because very few community members showed interest in that training programme. Lack of compulsory education, and the fact that schools were sites of struggle for liberation, made so many children not attend or had disrupted attendance leaving many without education, thus contributing to the massive need for adult basic education within the country. Adult basic education supplies the foundation knowledge, skills, understanding and abilities that are required for improved social and economic life. It also provides understanding that gives people a basis from which they can progress along a chosen career and path in life. That is, the venue and time are determined by the adult learners and their facilitator. Although the programme is being structured in favour of the learners, however, they are still not motivated to register with the programme. Hence the need to conduct this study to investigate assessment of motivational strategies for the participation of adults in adult literacy programmes in Benin city

Research Questions

1. What is the extrinsic motivational strategies for the participation of adult learners in adult literacy programmes in Benin city?

2. What is the impact of motivational strategies on adult learners performance in Benin city, Edo state?

3. what is the impact of intrinsic motivation strategies for the participation of adult learners in adult literacy programmes in Benin city?

Purpose  Of The Study

The major purpose of this study is Assessment of Motivational Strategies for the Participation of Adults in Adult Literacy Programmes in Benin City. Other general objectives of the study are:

1. To outline extrinsic motivation motivational strategies for the participation of adult learners in adult literacy programmes in Benin city.

2. To examine the impact of motivational strategies on adult learners performance in Benin city, Edo state.

3. To examine the impact of intrinsic motivation strategies for the participation of adult learners in adult literacy programmes in Benin city.

Significance Of The Study

The study  will benefit the following

 policy makers: This  will hopefully shed more light on the reasons behind low participation in adult literacy in the area of study.

Education managers: The study will be beneficial to education managers in the sense that it  may be better placed to implement literacy programmes that are relevant to learners‟ needs and to guide instructors appropriately. The literacy instructors maybe equipped with appropriate skills for managing literacy programmes at centre level leading to increased participation and eventually contribute to a rise in the country’s literacy rate.

Adult learners : Adult learners will be equipped with relevant skills from the study  to enable them improve on their incomes and quality of life hence contributing to poverty reduction in the area of study and the country in general.

Others: It is therefore anticipated that the discoveries of this study will assist, government, agencies and organisations which offer educational programmes for adults to better understand what factors are important when selecting an educational programme and to improve on the motivational strategies of increasing adults’ persistence in learning programmes.

  Scope  And Delimitation Of The Study 

The study is based on the motivational strategies for the participation of adults in adult literacy programmes in Benin city. The study was delimited to only male and female adult learners who attended adult literacy programmes as their participation in adult literacy was lower in comparison to potential participants in the programme. The study was conducted in Benin city because the statistical evidence had indicated a low participation in the programme. The study will carried out in selected adult literacy centres in Benin city

The area of the study is Benin city. Benin City is the capital of Edo State, southern Nigeria. In central Kings Square, the Benin City National Museum traces the history of the Benin Empire and has displays of terracotta sculpture. The Oba’s Palace is known for bronze plaques that once decorated the walls, depicting historical events and life at court. The city is renowned for its bronze casting, and bronze casters ply their trade along Igun Street

Definition Of Terms

Motivational strategies: motivational strategies are responses designed to change behaviour. They state that motivational strategies are particularly designed to lead people into doing some activities.

Adult Learner:  An adult person is defined differently in different countries. For example, he / she can be defined according to age, economic status, cultural and social roles he/she plays in his her community. Therefore, an adult learner is defined as any mature individual who participate in a learning situation that will bring about changes.

Literacy programmes: Literacy Programmes refers to systematic and planned activities intended to equip individual participants to become skilful in the ability to read, write and compute to an appreciable level.

Participation: It refers to active involvement in social action to become literate, through empowering participatory approaches.