Repositioning Conceptual Understanding of Adult Education for Social Transformation in Nigeria

Abstract

The conceptual understanding of Adult Education and its mission has continued to suffer much neglect in various quarters in the education sector. The debate on the status of the discipline has been accorded low esteem and relegated to the background in government circles, in the intellectual community and public perception despite the huge potentials it offers in the developmental process. This paper is an attempt at repositioning the understanding of Adult Education to restore the image of poor perception from policy makers and implementers of adult education programmes in Nigeria. The paper examined the utilitarian value of adult education needed for the transformation of the plethora of problems in the economic, social and political landscape of society. It recommended that there is need to redesign adult education curriculum to sustain its nomenclature for lifelong learning to bring about the needed recognition as a career discipline in the education system for maximum benefit in Nigeria.

Key Words: Repositioning, Conceptual, Understanding, Social, Transformation, Adult Education