Adult Education and Human Capacity Building for Community Sustainability in Nigeria

Abstract

The economic, social and environmental issues threatening humans as well as continual existence of communities in Nigeria, requires the contribution of all. Adult members, constituting greater portion of the country’s population, are seen as agents through which the economic, social and environmental challenges facing communities as well as the countries can be addressed. However, solutions to the plethora of issues confronting community sustainability, requires greater number of the adult’s population possessing the requisite knowledge and skills through education. Education seen as a powerful instrument for social change, helps reduce social and economic issues like poverty, hunger, crime, unemployment, social inequalities, disease, just to mention but few, and give individuals the opportunities to live fulfilled life. Although, education is categorized into formal, informal and non-formal dimension, this study specifically reviews literatures on adult education and human resources capacity building for community sustainability in Nigeria. From the contents of the literature reviewed, it was indicated that adult education programmes contributes towards sustainable growth, successful employment, self-reliance and access to justice for all in communities in Nigeria. Thus, adult education equips individuals with knowledge as well as skills capable of enhancing their potentials as well as capabilities in making effective contributions towards the social, economic and environmental sustainability of communities in Nigeria.