Abstract
This study examined the perceived impact of adult education programmes in improving the socioeconomic lives of adult learners in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design and was guided by five research questions. The population of the study comprised of 150 adult learners with a sample of 150 respondents. The instrument for data collection was a self-designed structured questionnaire divided into two sections. Section A and B, section A covered the demographic information of the respondents such as age, sex, occupation and educational qualification and many others while section B consisted of the information which borders on the problem of the research. Twenty (20) items were used to address the objectives of the study and the items on the research instrument were designed in a modified Four-Point Likert Scale format of SA Strongly Agreed, A Agreed, DA Disagreed, SD Strongly Disagreed. The findings showed that adult basic literacy programme is the predominant literacy initiative in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State as this programme is designed to educate adult learners on essential reading, writing, and numeracy skills, with the overarching goal of enhancing their quality of life, job prospects, and overall socio-economic status. The findings also revealed that adult learners hold a predominantly positive and encouraging perception towards the literacy Programmes offered by the local government as these programmes not only cater for their needs but also effectively tackle the obstacles faced by adult learners in terms of participation and access. Also, the findings reveals 11 that the literacy programmes provided by the local government are offered free of charge and are fully funded by the local authorities. These programmes have notably enhanced their economic well-being and elevated their overall quality of life. On the basis of the foregoing, the study recommended, among others, that the government should design adult education programmes to meet the diverse needs and interests of learners, including vocational training, digital literacy courses, and life skills workshops, to enhance their socio-economic outcomes. It was also recommended that the literacy providers should provide necessary measures to improve access to adult education centers, such as establishing satellite centers in remote areas or providing transportation assistance for learners who are far from the literacy centres.
