IMPORTANCE OF ADULT EDUCATION IN RELATION

TO MSTC.

CASE STUDY: MSTC- MODEL SKILLS TRAINING

CENTRE.

NAME: AYODELE REBECCA IYANUOLUWA

INDUSTRAIL TRAINING FUND.

 WHAT IS ADULT EDUCATION

Adult education is the only tool to remove illiteracy from the society. Adult education
can be categorized under fundamental education, mass education of people, workers education,
further education, basic education, community education, social education, vocational education,
etc. in order to educate the people at different level. According to the Mahatma Gandhi; adult
education can be said as education for life, through life and throughout life.

Adult education is necessary for the personal enrichment of the people, effective
participation in many arears like social, political, international level affairs, professional
advancement, etc. adult education improves individual peacefulness, enhances working
efficiency, leads towards progress in life, strives the learning in society. Adult education is the
part-time education given to the 15-35 years age group people who never attempted or some
schooling before. Adult education aims to prepare adult for a social, economic, civic and
political note.

So that we need to open talk with our teachers and family about this education. Because
adult education is very vital in national and economic development but it is greatly overlooked
by people who are ignorant of the prospects, meaning, importance, advantages to a nations
development as a whole.

According to a survey it is found that countries having low literacy level are
economically backward which realizes the importance of adult education for the countries to
progress. Adult literacy raises standard of living and brings economic development and social
transformation in the country.

Adult education is not only aimed for drop-out and those without literacy skills. Adult
education is education aimed at matured students that have already taken part in workforce.
Learning as a mature student gives individual the chance to gain new skills and expand their
knowledge.

Adult education programme has a wide range and they are all available, making it
important to choose a high quality programme that aligns with your goals. Good adult education
programme should focus on teaching students important, valuable skills.

Key aspect of an adult education programme to look for include a focus on teaching
specialized skills that can be put into practice in the workplace and content that can be easily
understood by students.
 Adult education is also important in life long learning. In the past most people could
make a living with little formal education past what they received in grade school. That’s not the
case today due to Rapidly Advancing Technology (RAT). Everyone must continue to learn the
new information and skills required by RAT. That’s means education must continue throughout
your adult years. If you hope to stay relevant and employable. That’s life-long learning.
Fortunately you can learn anything from YouTube and Google so don’t think life-long learning
is about more classroom schooling. LLL is really about self-guided learning.

E-learning as an adult gives you the chance to make progress in your career and develop
valuable new skills. From literacy and numeracy to foreign languages, adult education offers a
range of great opportunities to expand your knowledge and learn new skills to improve your
career and develop self-confidence.

The importance of Adult Education is difficult to over-state. Adult Education plays an

important role in helping mature aged learners develop skills and improve the career prospect
available to them.

ADVANTAGES OF ADULT EDUCATION.

There are numerous advantages to Adult Education.

 Learning after secondary school as a mature student allows adults to develop valuable skills
to improve career prospects and expand their professional knowledge.
 Developing literacy and numeracy skills in adulthood also gives individual a better ability to
reach their full potential. Many adult student gain additional confidence in their academic
skills after pursuing Adult Education.
 Adult Education teaches student valuable skills that can be put into action in a wide range of
situations. The confidence and aptitude gained with Adult Education is valuable both in and
out of the workplace.
 Another purpose and importance of Adult Education is to provide a second chance for those
who are poor in the society or who have lost access to education for other reasons in order to
achieve social justice and equal access to education. Therefore Adult Education is a social
policy of the government.
 There is also open distance education in Adult Education. Because due to difficulty in
balancing education and a full-time career, of which it is difficult for people with full
employment they can put in for online learning at their spear-time, take classes, interact with
lecturers, write exams and collect certificate all in their free time.
 Adult Education not only develops literacy and numeracy skills but improves learner’s way
of thinking, equips them with various skills (Vocational Education) depending on learner’s
preference and prepare them for outside world in order to make themselves relevant in the
society and nation at large. Thereby improving the national development.
 Adult Education gives room of learning for all categories of people; the youth, matured,
house-wives, professionals, workers, petty traders, including students, drop out and illiterate.
 Adult Education practices doesn’t enforce learning on you but rather motivate learners in
their field of preference and carefully put them through in decision making that is where
counselling in Adult Education comes in.
 Adult education is a very broad practice and its importance in national development cannot
be over-emphasized because it helps its learners give back to the society in various ways and
contribute immensely in national growth and development.
 Adult Education is in different form ; we have
 Formal Adult Educational.
 Informal Adult Education
 Non-formal Adult Education.
 Adult Education enables individual personally to give back to the society and serve them. it
also gives the drop-out a second chance to carry out their goals and keep start their career, it
enable the professional be more better in other part of their field or enable them lea rn more
in other field as the world is changing everyday so they can be relevant in their day-to-day
activities.
 Adult Education programmes can be taught in different form as mentioned earlier. It can be
taught in a four walls of a classroom i.e. classroom arrangement/setting (Formal Adult-
Education), it can be taught in a workshop or seminar like, vocational skills (Informal
Adult-Education) it can also be taught without direct contact with learners like eye-to-eye
(Non- Formal Adult Education) it can be through sensitization, awareness, open distance
education , N.O.U.N
 Adult Education has many benefits in national development and personal development which
amongst are; economic, social, political, health, attitude change, educational progression,
poverty reduction, civic and social engagement.

THE ROLE OF ADULT EDUCATION IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

Adult and non-formal education has been apparently much neglected aspect of
educational activities in the country. This neglect could be traced to our colonial heritage where
the British colonial masters and the early missionaries who pioneered education in the African
continent paid attention only to formal education to train clerks and interpreters in Government
service and commercial houses; and catechists in the church. The complication and the problem
of organizing and administering non-formal education is yet another reason for the neglect.

1. INTRODUCTION

Adult education in Nigeria is presently geared towards national development (Ewuzie,

2012). The objective of the process of adult education and national development is to get the
adults, either as individuals or as a group, to learn and through learning to change their attitude
and behaviour. The policy on education states the objectives of adult education as:

1. To provide functional literacy education for adults who have never had the opportunity
of any formal education

2. To provide functional and remedial education for those young people who
prematurely dropped out of the formal school system

3. To provide further education for different categories of completers of formal education

system in order to improve their basic knowledge and skills

4. To provide in-service and on-the-job vocational and professional training for different
categories of workers and professionals in order to improve their skills

5. To give the adult citizens of the country aesthetic, cultural and civic education for
public enlightenment.

Monye (1981) opines that all these objectives have one end in view-to equip the adult
with everything he needs for life in order to be relevant to his society by helping to solve some of
its problems. We have to recognize that development is of man, by man and for man. Man is the
master of his destiny and adult education serves to bring about a fundamental change in man’s
attitudes and lifestyle. To survive, people must have awareness and to become aware, they must
be literate.

2. EDUCATION

2. 1. Adult Education

Adult education usually refers to any form of learning undertaken by or provided for
mature men and women outside the formal school system. The main targets are specifically
defined as youth (girls and boys over 15 years of age, but sometime younger) as well as women
and men, generally poor or socially disadvantaged. Although literacy continues to be at its heart,
adult education also includes “numeracy”, problem-solving and life skills, and other knowledge.
The notion of adult education is often used interchangeably with other notions such as literacy,
adult basic education, lifelong learning, continuing, adult basic end non-formal education, and
etcetera. For the purpose of this presentation, adult education is understood as a transmission
process of general, technical or vocational knowledge, as well as skills, values and attitudes,
which takes place out of the formal education system with a view to remedying early education
inadequacies of mature people or equipping them with the knowledge and cultural elements
required for their self-fulfilment and active participation in the social, economic and political life
of their societies (Seya, 2014). The concept of development is complex as it has several
connotations. However, Allen (2000) has identified three main meanings in which development
is generally used, namely:

(i) as a vision, description or measure of the state of being of a desirable society;

(ii) as an historical process of social change in which societies are transformed over
long periods; and
(iii) As consisting of deliberate efforts aimed at improvement on the part of various
agencies, including governments, all kinds of organisations and social
movements. For the purpose of this presentation, development will be referred to
as a process of economic, social, political and cultural change engineered in a
given society by the efforts of all stakeholders, both internal and external –
including the local communities, the Government, the private sector, the civil
society organisations, the NGOs and the technical and financial development
partners- with a view to improving the conditions of the life of the population in a
sustainable way. Implicit in these definitions is the assumption that development
requires, interalia, the formation of human capital and social capital, some of the
main factors of production required for a broad-based economic growth that
provides the ground for sustainable poverty reduction.

2. 2. Adult Education and Development

The role of adult education in national development is multi-dimensional. Indeed, as are

of the building blocks of human development, and not just a basic right, education, including
adult education, is a foundation for progress in areas such as human capital, health, nutrition
and the development of institutions and democracy. Therefore, the role of adult education in
development can be apprehended through the complex relationships existing between all its
forms and the economic, political, social and cultural determinant factors of Nigerian
development in particular and Africa as a whole. The economic role of adult education in
development is apparent in its contribution to human capital formation. It is now well established
that, alongside health care, sanitation, and nutrition that improve people’s standard of living and
productivity by reducing sickness and mortality rates and by increasing life expectancy, adult
basic education, by equipping recipients with essential literacy and numeracy skills, yields high
rates on investment, thereby enhancing labour productivity. An educated population also
provides a more attractive investment climate. Thus, investment in the development of human
capital, through adult education, is crucial for developing a labour force and managerial know-
how, able to compete in today’s global economy (Seya, 2014).

Formal education alone is not sufficient for playing this role as even those categories of
the population who have had formal education and training might need to be updated and
reskilled through adult education, mainly because today’s knowledge society tends to render
previously acquired knowledge and skills inappropriate and obsolete.

Adult education is also instrumental in familiarising the active population of Nigeria with
Information Communication Technology (ICT), a decisive tool for the smooth integration of
Nigerian economies in the global economy. The importance of this cannot be overemphasised as
the world is rapidly moving towards knowledge-based economic structures and information
societies that comprise networks of individuals, firms, and countries linked electronically in
inter-dependent and interactive relationships. Adult education also plays a major role in social
development. It is now widely admitted that growth will not reduce poverty unless poor people
are able to actively participate in it. Such participation can become effective to a large extent
through adult education. Indeed, the African, and of course, Nigerian population will need some
kind of formal and non-formal education and training to be able to benefit from basic health care,
including sexual and reproductive health services, the development of new medicines, and thus
be in a position to free itself from diseases that devastate poor people, such as HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis, malaria and other parasites. Adult education will also be needed to enable the
Nigerian poor to really take advantage of programmes aimed at protecting orphans and
vulnerable children or drastically reducing the number of people without access to safe water and
basic sanitation.

The role of adult education in development is not limited only to economic and social
spheres. It also has a political dimension. There is a strong link between adult learning and
democracy. This is so because, as acknowledged at the UNESCO Fifth International Conference
on Adult Education held in Hamburg in 1997, “substantive democracy and a culture of peace are
not given; they need to be constructed “(UNESCO, 1997). For democracy to be achieved, adult
education is needed as to inform them of their rights and responsibilities as democracy also
requires people to actively participate at local, national and global levels. It is today admitted that
the lack of recognition of the need to involve civil society, especially grassroots organisations, by
giving them a voice in decision-making and the means to participate effectively in society is one
of the major causes of development failure in many African countries. Abuse of human rights
and social injustice leading to the exclusion of important segments of society, have also
constituted stumbling blocks to economic and social progress on the continent and paved the way
to violent conflicts (Seya, 2014).

Adult education may prove to be a powerful tool for favouring inclusive development
through democracy, thereby ensuring peace and stability, as a number of studies have shown that
prevention (through adult education) is much more effective than intervention. Prevention of
political disorders and civil unrest can be made possible through various adult education
strategies. A number of adult education policies promote democracy and peace have been
proposed during the Fifth International Conference on Adult education (UNESCO, 1997). They
tend to attain their objectives through various strategies that promote an active civil society,
reinforce gender democracy and help to solve conflicts between different countries and groups to
the extent that the world at large is experiencing the effects of multi-faceted globalization with
varying degrees of impact on peoples and cultures. It is apparent from the foregoing that adult
education is an indispensable vector for social, economic and political progress in any society.

2. 3. Wider Benefits of Adult Education

Over the last few years, political as well as scientific debates have stressed the growing
importance of adult education. There prevails a consensus that adult education plays a significant
role in promoting personal, social and economic well-being, which has also long been recognised
by DVV International. There is a deep rooted belief that adult learning has the potential to create
personal, economic and social value (Motschilnig, 2014). This paper argues that adult education
affects people’s lives in ways that go for beyond what can be measured by the labour market
earnings and economic growth. Important as they are the wider benefits of adult learning are
neither currently well understood nor systematically measured.

2. 4. Economic Benefits of Adult Education

Adult learning can improve employability and income, which is a key pathway to
realising a range of other benefits. For example, it enables people to some extent, choose and
shape the context in which they live and work and even increase their social status.

2. 5. Health

Empirical evidence has found that adult learning can have both transforming and
sustaining effect on health. Transforming effects are when adult learning changes health
behaviour (for instance from smoking to non-smoking) while sustaining effects are when health
behaviour is maintained, for example, the likelihood of remaining a non-smoker. Therefore,
people attending Adult education courses are more likely to have healthy lifestyles, and there is a
body of literature which describes adult learning and its relation to mental health. Also, inter-
generational effects of educated parents on the health of their children are very relevant
Manninen (2008).

2. 6. Civic and Social Engagement

Many countries share a concern about declining levels of voter participation and about
the state of civic participation. It is possible that adult learning might inspire a change in attitude,
which in turn brings about a change in behaviour. Several studies (OECD, 2007; Desjardins &
Schuller, 2006, 2006; Field, 2009) amongst others show that learning can promote social
cohesion and strengthen citizenship. Adult learning may support the development of shared
norms, greater trust towards other individuals and the government and more civic co-operation.

2. 7. Attitudes Change

An individual who participate in adult learning may differ from the one who does not in
terms of prior attitude. It was found (Feinsteinet al, 2003) that adult learning is associated with
more “open-minded” perspectives on race and authority, greater understanding of people from
different backgrounds, challenging previously held beliefs and with a sustaining effect on
nonextremist views. Especially academic oriented courses are most suited for opening minds and
generally link adult learning to increased racial tolerance, a reduction in political cynicism and a
higher inclination towards democratic attitudes.

2. 8. Educational Progression

Progression into other learning is an important outcome of adult education. There is clear
an evidence that (successful) engagement in learning provides incentive for further learning.
Manninen (2010) found that 93 percent of course participants said that their participation has
motivated them to learn more. Further, learners described their progress by referring to real life
activities they could now do in a wide variety of life contexts (every day and leisure practice,
work) community and educational practice). Self-confidence, finding voice and opening up to
learning were identified by almost all learners and seemed central to their perspective on
learning. These outcomes provided improvement in the quality of their lives and become part of
their learner identity.

2. 9. Poverty Reduction
 Although inadequately understood, adult education has been cited as a key in reducing
poverty levels around the world (UNESCO-UIL, 2009 in EAEA, 2010) as it has the capacity to
positively affect may dimensions of poverty. Results show that adult education has a role to play
in nurturing the skills and knowledge necessary to both reducing the risk of poverty, but also for
providing the capacity to withstand poverty-inducing pressures. EAEA (2010) underlines the
empowering role that adult education can have in times of crises, providing a stable community,
a chance for reorientation, a safe place and social recognition. Also, the United Kingdom, the
Inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning (IFLL) (Sabates, 2008) concludes that participating
in adult learning can help substantially to reduce poverty through enhancing employment
prospects, improving health levels of poor people and giving better chances of acquiring the
tools needed to run their own lives. Therefore, it should be a part of any approach to reducing
poverty, as multiple initiatives are needed to lift people out of poverty.

WHAT IS MSTC

MODEL SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE, ABUJA-NIGERIA... THE WHEEL OF

PROGRESS

The Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC), Abuja, was established by the Industrial
Training Fund as a Post-Secondary Technical Institution in 2011, to provide industry relevant
career and technical education programmes for secondary school leavers and adult learners. It
was a two-pronged effort, by the then Federal government, for the actualization of the
millennium development goals of Mr. President's policy and Transformation Agenda. To date,
the Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC) is progressing in developing the nation’s economy
through its highly Skilled Human Resource.

Consequent to the above, the Management of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), in 2007,
undertook a study of three Asian countries with a similar mandate to develop skills. Here they
discovered a holistic approach to technical skills development at the Institute of Technical
Education (ITEE) in Singapore. To pursue this holistic approach on technical skills development,
the ITF adopted a plan of action which culminated in a feasibility study to Abuja by officials of
Institute of Technical Education (ITEE), Singapore. The feasibility study report which was
produced, spelled out modalities for collaboration in the following five (5) identified trades
offering full time NITEC international Certificate courses.

 Culinary Skills Western (CSW)

 Facility Maintenance Technology (FCT)
 Information & Communication Technology (ICT)
 Mechatronics (Industrial Automation) (MCE)
 Electronics (Computer & Networking) (ECN)

In 2010, April 21st, the ITF formerly engaged the Institute of Technical Education, Educational
Services PTE Ltd. (ITEES), and Singapore, through a Contractual Agreement to provide
Consultancy Services to set-up Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC) at Abuja for the Five (5)
trade areas earlier proposed.

In September 2016, the MSTC formally applied to the National Board for Technical Education
(NBTE), which is mandated to accord approvals on prospective TVET programmes, for
inclusion of certain programmes for critique/vetting and development in the National Vocational
Certificate (NVC) component. The programmes were,

 Electrical Installation, Repairs and Maintenance

 Automotive Mechatronics Technology
 Hospitality and Tourism

This was closely followed by another critique exercise request, to add the National Innovative
Diploma (NID) component to its certification status. The programmes for this component were,

 Building Construction Technology

 Computer Hardware Engineering
 Computer Software Engineering
 Computer Networking and System Security
 Electrical/Electronic Technology
 Facility Management Technology
 Hospitality and Tourism
 Mechatronics and Automation Technology
 Welding and Fabrication
TRAINING AND LEARNING METHODOLOGY OF MSTC

The MSTC Abuja operates on a pedagogic approach of learning with 70%

practical and 30% theory thereby allowing trainees to acquire practical skills and
knowledge through exploratory teaching and learning techniques such as intensive
practical work, probe-based learning and group work. Through carefully planning and
learning by exploring resources and ideas, practicing what they have learnt and
performing with absolute compliance to safety requirements, trainees will become more
effective and independent learners.
The aim of the programme is to train and equip youths with advanced employable
skills in the above listed trade/occupational areas. Will not only equip trainees for a
successful and rewarding career but also pave the way to long life education and training.

FUNCTIONS AND OBJECTIVES OF MSTC, ABUJA

The main objectives of the training centre are to:

 Train and develop high level of skilled manpower in selected occupational areas
considered to be of priority to the Commerce and Industry.
 Empower the youths through skills acquisition programme, based on Hands-on, Minds-
on and Hearts-on approach aimed at Job creation and entrepreneurship development.
 Liaise with the Industries to upgrade the skills of either work force in specific areas as
may be identified through performance assessment.
 Certify and issue trainees with Certificates.

RELATION BETWEEN ADULT EDUCATION AND MSTC

Adult Education and Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC) are in relation in several ways.
Model Skills Training Centre and adult education both deal with the same category of
individuals. i.e. (young, youth, dropout, illiterate, matured adult, professionals, those already in
the workforce). It is open for all category of individuals.

One aspect of Adult Education is vocational aspects with involves acquisition of skills. Model
Skills Training Centre relates to that aspect whereby they train and develop individual adult in
the skills of their choice which amongst is considered to be of priority to the Commerce and
Industry.

Adult education is aimed towards improving National Development in Nigeria and its
importance in national development cannot be over-emphasized. Though a-lot of individual are
ignorant of the tenets and prospects it is still paving way for the less privileged and illiterate.
Adult education as a layman would explain will say ‘it is an education for the old people’ but
under adult education the term ‘ADULT’ are those who are physically, mentally and
psychologically fit, those are the people that are considered as adults. Model Skills Training
Centre understands these and therefore create avenue not only for adult and young adult learners
but also for children, mid house-wives and other category.

Model Skills Training Centre not only teach, train and develop individual learners but also put
them through on how to be able to become independent and be their own ENTREPRENEUR
and understand what they’ll face in the outside world and how to act, react, and what to
understand about their business.

Model Skills Training Centre is not available for skills alone but they have professional training
for those already in the workforce. Model Skills Training Centre does not only make this training
available for others but they also encourage and create an avenue for their workers/staffs to go
for workshop, seminars and training while they’re working, with it not affecting their work.
Model Skills Training Centre understands the need for growth and change as our society changes
they also need to prepare their workers and equip them with necessary knowledge and skills in
their workforce/work line even outside their work-line Model Skills Training Centre gives room
for expansion of skills and knowledge.

In Model Skills Training Centre there is Head of departments, senior staffs, junior staffs even to
securities all have avenue to develop and learn or acquire new knowledge and skills to develop
themselves while they’re at work and Adult Education in relation to Model Skills Training
Centre has made these possible not just for Model Skills Training Centre but for other
organization who wants to train their staff improve their knowledge, expand in their career and
work force/line.

Another relation of (MSTC) to Adult Education is that Adult Education as a whole is faced with
a lot of challenges amongst which are being able to balance education and full-time career that’s
for people who are already in full-employment. And those who have difficulty trying to return to
the classroom setting after spending a-lot of years in the work force/ Model Skills Training
Centre has developed a solution and made that easy whereby they can prepare proposal and take
to organization or create an avenue whereby they create a workshop for them for a period of
time, most cases short but enough to learn all they need to.
Adult Education is also faced with certification challenge whereby learners who undergo training
or learning under adult education mostly don’t get recognized or taken for job employment. But
Model Skills Training Centre has developed a solution whereby after training, they’re given a
certificate which is in collaboration with Singapore regarding vocational skills and also NBTE,
ITEES amongst others. Therefore MSTC and adult education practice are in relation.

In Model Skills Training Centre under Industrial Training Fund there is a programme that the
government establish to train and develop individual adult to empower them to be profitable to
themselves and the society at large. NISDP (National Industrial Skills Development Programme)
it is a program or platform established to convey skills that are available in the labour market and
empower various youths, adults, illiterate including those who are not financially capable to pay.
This program is a way the government use to empower youth to become independent. Model
Skills Training Centre is a subset of ITF and Model Skills Training Centre not only train them
but also guide them in steps to start up on their own and become independent and their own
entrepreneur and ways to maintain it. MSTC understands the importance of Adult Education and
has made it easy for adult education practices to become acceptable and known to an extent in
Nigeria as a whole.

Model Skills Training Centre generally has also contributed immensely to national development,
by;

 Training and developing high level of skilled manpower in selected occupational areas
considered to be of priority to the Commerce and Industry.
 Empowering the youths through skills acquisition programme, based on Hands-on,
Minds-on and Hearts-on approach aimed at Job creation and entrepreneurship
development.
 Certifying and issuing trainees with Certificates.
 Helping poverty reduction in the economy
 Developing adults and learners and helping them have attitude by enlightening them on
different aspects that they are ignorant about.

IN CONCLUSION

Model Skills Training Centre and Adult Education are in relation and has both contributed to
National Development immensely. Though a lot are ignorant about the tenant and prospect of
adult education, Model Skills Training Centre encourages Adult education and creates
avenue for different categories of adults and learners to improve them in their personal,
social, economic, political aspect and enable them develop new skills and develop self
confidence in themselves including making them their own entrepreneur thereby improving
our National Development.