PERCEPTION OF ADULT EDUCATION AS A DISCIPLINE AMONG STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY

The study investigated the perception of Adult Education as a discipline among students of the University of Benin, Benin City. A total of 320 undergraduate and post graduate students of the Department of Adult and Non-formal Education, University of Benin, who were registered for the 2016/2017 academic session constituted the study’s sample. It was drawn using a stratified and a simple random sampling technique. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire titled: Students’ Perception of Adult Education Questionnaire (SPAEQ) which contained 20 items. The data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of the study showed that a significant difference existed between the mean score of the undergraduate and postgraduate students of the University of Benin in their perception of Adult Education as a discipline in favour of postgraduate students. It was also found that undergraduate students at their entry point do not possess sufficient knowledge and awareness level about Adult Education as a discipline and that the curriculum content that is taught to students in the department is up to the NUC Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) and relatively meets national and global best practices in Adult Education delivery and that graduates in the discipline can favourably compete wherever they may find themselves in the world of work. On the basis of the findings, it was concluded that Adult Education remained the only discipline through which the real problems of society like power sharing, wealth creation, gender, environmental, and health issues can be successfully addressed. The study recommended among others, that the NUC in collaboration with the Nigerian National Council for Adult Education (NNCAE) should change the nomenclature: ‘Adult Education’ and give it a more attractive name which will make the discipline appear more acceptable to all and sundry.