Role of Adult Education Programmes in Promoting Skills Acquisition and Women Empowerment in Rural Communities in Rivers state

Abstract

This study examines the role of adult education programmes in promoting skills acquisition and women empowerment in rural communities of Rivers State. Adult education has become a critical instrument for addressing challenges such as illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, and gender inequality, particularly among rural women who often have limited access to formal education and economic opportunities. The study highlights how adult education programmes provide women with functional literacy, vocational training, entrepreneurial skills, and health education necessary for improving their socio-economic well-being.The paper conceptualizes adult education as a lifelong learning process that equips adults with knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes for personal and community development, while skills acquisition is seen as a means of developing practical and income-generating competencies for self-reliance Findings from the study reveal that adult education programmes significantly contribute to economic self-reliance, poverty reduction, improved literacy levels, enhanced employment opportunities, entrepreneurial development, social inclusion, and improved family welfare among rural women. The study concludes that strengthening adult education programmes through improved funding, capacity building, partnerships, and policy support is essential for achieving sustainable women empowerment and rural development. It recommends that government and stakeholders intensify efforts to expand access to adult education and skills acquisition programmes as a strategy for promoting inclusive growth and socio-economic transformation.