Factors motivating female adult learners enrolment in Nigeria tertiary institution: A study of Lagos State University, Nigeria

Abstract

Education is the process of becoming critically aware of one’s reality in a manner that leads to effective action upon it. The plight of women, in terms of education is further compounded by the negative attitude of parents toward female education. Some parents are usually reluctant to send their girl child for formal education especially to higher levels like their male counterpart. The writer examined factors motivating female adult learners’ enrolment in Nigeria tertiary institution. The purpose of the study was to examine the concept of tertiary education in Nigeria, assess women education, find out the rate of enrolment between male and female students and highlight the problems facing tertiary institutions considering enrolment of female adult learners in Nigeria. Research questions were formulated for the study and the instrument used for the study was questionnaire. One hundred respondents comprising of female adult learners were randomly selected from Lagos State University in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State for data collection. Data were analyzed using frequency tables, percentages and Chi-square. It was suggested in the paper that for optimal national development, women who are the first teachers in the family set up should be provided with adequate and functional education (or literacy). It was argued that provision of functional education to the women folk would enable them to make additional contributions towards public life, social, economic, and moral development of the family and by extension the nation.

Keywords: Motivation, female education, adult learners, enrolment.