ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTIONAL LITERACY PROGRAMMES FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN CROSS RIVER STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was carried out to assess the functionality of literacy programmes for

women empowerment in Cross River State, Nigeria. In carrying out the study, three

research questions and three null hypotheses were developed to guide the study. The study adopted survey research design. The Population of the study comprises of

19,256 women that enrolled in functional literacy programmes in Cross River State.

The sample of the study was 750 women. The instrument for data collection was a 32- item structured questionnaire titled: Assessment of Functional Literacy Programmes for Women Empowerment in Cross River State Questionnaire (AFLPWECRSQ). The instrument for the study was face validated by three experts. The internal consistency of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha reliability method which yielded coefficients of 0.65 for vocational skills, 0.59 for basic health practices and

0.65 for ICT skills for empowering women. The data for the study were collected with

the help of 9 research assistants. The 721 copies of the questionnaire administered to the respondents, were completely filled and retrieved representing 100 % rate of return. The  data  collected  were analysed  using mean  and  standard deviation for answering the  research questions  while  t-test  statistics was  used  to  test  the  null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the data analysed, the study found that vocational skills, basic health practices and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills are to a low extent provided in the vocational centres for empowering the women in Cross River State. There were significant (p<0.05) differences in the mean ratings of the responses of urban and rural women on 16 out of the 32 items whereas there were no significant (p<0.05) differences on the remaining 16 items. Based on the above findings, the study among others recommended that  ggovernment should  improve  the  physical,  infrastructural and organizational standards of vocational institutions for women empowerment through better funding, increase involvement of international donor agencies in the health intervention programmes for improved health services for women and that women should be encouraged to form cooperative societies so that they can be trained and empowered as a group with relevant vocational, health and ICT skills for productive living.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the study

All over the world, increasing attention is being paid to women empowerment and the need to reduce gender disparity to ensure more balanced gender participation in public and private life (Olaleye and Adeyemo, 2012). This is in view of the established socio-economic and political restrictive practices and constraints that have not allowed women to take advantage of their numbers and positions to  significantly influence their  environment and personal well-being; (Aderinoye, 2002).  Such  barriers  include  unemployment,   lack of employable skills,   low level of educational attainment, poverty and ingrained attitudes of exclusion that marginalize their role in the decision making process in their local communities.  Indeed,  Hodges (2001) believed that sexism is still the most serious barrier to women advancement in economic, political and educational endeavours. This means that gender discrimination is still an impediment to women empowerment.

To address the persistent problem of poverty and social exclusion among marginalised groups, there is a fundamental need for public authorities, together with other stakeholders to intervene to guarantee learning opportunities to enable

those at risk to achieve competencies (EU PLA Journal Summary Report 2008 on adult Literacy).

Sadly, a fundamental constraint to women advancement is the low level of educational attainment. Illiteracy is a predominant social problem in Nigeria that impacts more on women. Even though female or girl child has been deliberately encouraged  to  acquire  education  by  successive  governments  in  Nigeria,  but poverty, ignorance, religion, etc act as impediments to the realization of these efforts (Hodges, 2001).

However, subsequent governments in Nigeria have made efforts to address these problems through functional literacy programmes. Some of which include; the launching of a ten year literacy campaign in 1982 and the establishment of the National Commission for Mass Literacy Adult and Non formal Education in 1990 under the Decree No. 17. According to Fasokun (2012), states and local governments have established functional literacy centres and institutes to provide opportunities and encourage women to acquire education that could help them address the problems of poverty, unemployment and other hindrances that impede their social and individual growth.

For instance, UNESCO (2005) classified Nigeria among the nine countries in the  world  which  together  account  for  seventy  percent  of  global  illiterate population. Similarly, the United States Agency for International Development USAID (2005) reported that despite the transition to democracy in 1999, Nigeria faces enormous illiteracy challenges. Two thirds of the country’s citizens live in poverty. Corruption is endemic with Nigerians perceived as the third most corrupt countries of 102  nations observed by the  Transparency International in 2003. Unemployment is growing up to 40% with urban youths jobless, half of adult population are illiterates, close to four million Nigeria are HIV positive and 26% of children die before the age of five. This pathetic picture by UNESCO and USAID about Nigeria behooves more on women who are affected by these indices.

However, the European Commission for Adult Literacy (2008) observed that functional literacy can be a veritable tool to address some of these problems as literacy was born with functionality planted in its core. Therefore, there is a case for investing in functional literacy programmes for women as a means of raising the basic skills of disadvantaged group in order to improve productivity. Raising the overall level of skills of the population will also bring a number of individual and societal benefits in terms of improved health and well being, and increased civic participation.

The antecedent of functional literacy as presented by the EU report (2008) is usually traced to the UNESCO Tehran conference of 1965.  Functional literacy has brought literacy beyond the knowledge and ability to break the written code of a system of symbols which has to be taught and learned. Functional literacy is now based on the psychology of  man and woman at work. It  is  now  accepted as essential element in development. The two streams of literacy and economic skills are therefore closely linked to economic and social priorities and to the present future manpower needs. Consequently, UNESCO (2006; 7) had advised:

That literacy instruction  should enable illiterates left behind by the course of events and who are producing little to become socially and economically integrated in the new world order where scientific and technological progress calls for ever more knowledge and specialization.

The expectations that functional literacy has to impact on the beneficiaries made the Persepolis Declaration of 1975 to have demanded that literacy be a contribution   to   the   liberation   of   man   and   his   full   development,   teach consciousness,  make  people  act  on  the  world,  transform  it  and  bring  about authentic development through reading the word and reading the world. Thus the concept of generalized literacy has become a combination of literacy, functionality and awareness (World Bank, 2002).

Functional literacy which is also called workplace literacy was a child of development with  its  newest  manifestation of  literacy  integrated with  income generation. It is on the above premise  that  Njoku(2011) argued that since literacy is necessary for learning new skills for increased productivity both on the farm and in the  factory, it should therefore, be central to any development strategy for alleviating poverty. However, UNESCO (2008) had further elaborated the features of any functional literacy programmes. These are;

(i).  Literacy programmes should be incorporated into and correlated with economic and social development plans;

(ii).  The   eradication   of   illiteracy   should   start   with   categories   of populations which are motivated and which need literacy for their country’s benefit;

(iii). Literacy  programme  should  preferably  be  linked  with  economic priorities and carried out in areas undergoing rapid economic expansion;

(iv). Literacy programmes must impart not only reading and writing, but also professional and technological knowledge, thereby leading to fuller participation of adults in economic and civil life;

(v).  Literacy  must  be  an  integral  part  of  overall  education  plan  and educational system of each country;

(vi). The financial needs of functional literacy should be met out of various resource, public and private as well as provided for economic investments;

(vii). And the literacy programme should increase labour productivity, food production,   industrialisation,   social   and   professional   mobility, creation of new manpower, diversification of economy (p6).

In response to UNESCO’s (2008) call to use literacy as synergy in addressing the  persistent  problems  of  poverty  and  social  exclusion  among  marginalized groups, private and public authorities, together with other stakeholders have been intervening to guarantee learning opportunities to enable those at risk to achieve key competencies in   vocational and health skills. Consequently many nations of the world have instituted functional literacy programmes to address the issues of illiteracy, poverty and unemployment in relation to their peculiar environments. For instance, in Ireland, the government has the life-long learning framework; while in the United Kingdom, they have the skills for life programme to cater for the literacy needs of their people (EU PLA Journal on Adult Literacy Summary Report, 2008).

Nigeria is not an exception. The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMEC) was established in 1999 to encourage all forms of functional literacy programmes for youths and adult outside the formal school  system,  such  as  functional literacy,  remedial and  vocational education (Federal Republic of Nigeria FRN,2004). NMEC achieves the objectives of functional   adult   literacy   programmes   by   coordinating   the   activities   and programmes of adult and non-formal education nationwide which are to:

(i)         Provide functional literacy and continuing education for adults and youth who did not complete their primary education. These include the nomads, migrant families and disabled      groups, especially the  disadvantaged gender;

(ii)        provide functional and remedial education for those young people who did not complete secondary education;

(iii)        provide education for different categories of completers of the formal education system in order to improve their basic knowledge and skills;

(iv)        provide in-services, on-the-job, vocational and professional training for different categories of workers and professional in order to improve their skills  and  give  the  adult  citizens  of  the  country  necessary  aesthetic

cultural and civic education for public enlightenment, Federal Republic of Nigeria(FRN, 2004 ).

According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2012), the local government councils are to see to the day to day running of the programmes of adult and non- formal education in  local government areas  through which  functional literacy programmes are provided for women. The main thrust of functional literacy programmes has been to empower beneficiaries through training in positive skills, knowledge and attitude to overcome social and environmental factors in areas of community health, vocational trade, environmental and political enlightenment. It is  on  this  backdrop that  Kaber  (2001)  defined  empowerment as  development process or activity such as skills training, management techniques or capacity building,  which  might  have  some  impact  upon  people’s  ability  to  deal  with different political and administrative systems and influence decision making. The areas of empowerment according to  Kaber (2001) are to be  focused on three dimensions; the capacity to exercise strategic choices, access to resources, agency and ability to influence outcome. He further observed that empowerment focuses on inequalities in economic and political participation and decision making power over economic resources which are in line with the United Nations Development programme’s  gender  empowerment  measures.  Similarly,  UNICEF  Women’s

Equality and Empowerment framework emphasizes women’s access, awareness of causes of inequality, capacity to direct one’s own interests and taking control and actions to overcome obstacles for reducing structural inequality (UNICEF, 2001).

Obanya  (2004)  had  identified  four  dimensions  needed  to  enhance  the functionality of literacy programme for women empowerment. They include:

(i)   The basic skills dimension, (ii)  Life skills dimension;

(iii)  Socio-economic dimension and

(iv)  Lifelong learning dimension.

The basic literacy dimension includes; reading and writing skills, numeracy (working with numbers skill), graphicacy (working with signs, shapes and figure skills and measuracy (notions of length, width, volume, distance, weight/measure, among others.   Empowerment in life skills are concerned with self-awareness development dimension, analytical skills development, decision- making/organizational skill and manipulative (technical) skills.    The socio- economic dimensions have to do with; vocational skills acquisition, vocational skills  improvement,  sustainable  income-generation skills,  and  learning-to-learn skills.  In  the  fourth  dimension,  which  is  life  long  learning;  empowerment  is

directed at all forms of societal support for continuous learning and life  long development.

However, according to Huyer and Mitter (2002), there is already a structural inequality in the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT), where, integrating gender equality considerations into policy, programmes and projects at all levels would promote social, economic and political empowerment of women. Huyer and Mitter (2002) opined that:

a focus on the gender dimension of information and communication technologies is essential not only for preventing an adverse impact of the digital revolution on gender equality or the perpetuation of existing inequalities and discrimination, but also for enhancing women’s equitable access to the benefits of information and communication technologies and to ensure that they can become a central tool for the empowerment of women and the promotion of gender equality (Huyer and Mitter, 2002;3).

In view of the  immense benefits of ICT in empowerment through skill

acquisition, NMEC and LGEAs organise computer based literacy programme (CBLP) to create job opportunities especially for girls (Powell 2003). Computer instructors from Education Authorities and resource persons are engaged in different areas of ICT to give training to the women at the vocational training centres.   The training offer the beneficiaries’ opportunity to develop skills in areas of Mobile phone recharge card printing, computer repairs and maintenance, computer programming, Coral draw, storage and distribution of ICT accessories and Microsoft word among others.

Another area of interest for women empowerment is in the vocational skills acquisition (VSA).    Nkoyo (2002) believed that there    are  several aspects of vocational training   that can help   to address the problems of unemployment, poverty, illiteracy and gender-related       issues among women leading to establishment of vocational skills acquisition centres (VSACs) for economic self- reliance in Nigeria. Similarly, Naraya (2005) noted that in many states, women education centres have been established to open up educational opportunities for women folk and  very often,  the  emphasis  have been on  vocational education peculiarities.

According to the FRN (2012), vocational training centres are established in every local government in collaboration with NMEC and voluntary agencies. Such centres as they exist in Cross River State, train women in areas of hair dressing, weaving, tailoring, cane-chair making and tie and dye.  Other areas include the art of making detergent, toiletries, cakes, laundry and printing. The new methods of production and preservation of farm products are equally taught.  Instructors from the education units of the local governments and resource persons train the beneficiaries in these areas of skill acquisition. Besides, there have been regular health seminars in local government civic centres and community halls to educate women  in  different  areas  of  community  health.    Such  seminars  are  usually

conducted under the auspices of state; local and voluntary organisations. In some specialized areas resource persons are invited in those centres to train participants on skills in those areas.

In line with the use of functional literacy through training in public health and    vocational skills, the  women in Cross River State    have been receiving training in contraceptive use, nutrition, importance of breast feeding, control of malaria, child care skills,   etc. Instructors from the health units of the local governments and resource medical personnel are engaged in those centres by the local governments in collaboration with the  centres  for adult and  non formal education and some voluntary organisations. This is in recognition of the World Health Organizations’ (WHO, 2006) stance that health promotion should address effective empowerment strategies by providing basic health information to people with health challenges through basic health programmes.

It is therefore evident that through skill acquisition, ICT and community health programmes, women in Cross River State have been receiving functional literacy programmes for their empowerment. The programmes which are provided at adult literacy centres, skill acquisition and ICT centres and at civic and community halls using resource persons and literacy instructors are being assessed to determine the extent the programme has empowered the women.

The study therefore, considers it necessary to fill the gap as a result of unavailable information on the types and extent    functional literacy programmes have empowered women in Cross River State through vocational, ICT and basic health programmes for women.  The outcome of this study is expected to provide such information both to stakeholders or interest groups and researchers.

Statement of the problem

Functional  literacy  programme  is  seen  as  a  means  of  empowering the individual to cope with the requirements of personal, social and economic life. A well implemented functional literacy programme is expected to provide the individual with the knowledge, skills and value to enable one to overcome the problems of poverty, disease and ignorance. It is on this premise that all nations including Nigeria expect to use functional literacy programmes to address several social, economics and political problems of women.

However, reaching adults especially women with literacy skills is a major challenge to all countries. This is because such women are among the categories of people most unlikely to participate in structured adult learning as a result of some socio-cultural factors such as lack of access to education and poor employable skills. To address the problem of low participation of women in education which had affected their personal and social status (powerlessness) governments and non

governmental agencies embark on programmes aimed at using functional literacy to enhance their skills.

Such programmes in Cross River State are in the areas of vocational skill acquisition (VSA), information communication technology (ICT), and basic health (BH). The objectives of establishing these programmes are to address employment needs as well as problems of poverty, illiteracy and other gender related issues that undermine efforts towards women empowerment.

Based on the lofty objectives of providing functional literacy skills in areas of basic health, vocational and ICT skills, it is expected that implementation of these programme in Cross River State must have impacted positively towards providing the skills, knowledge and values to transform the lives of women. It is therefore, necessary to determine how the vocational skills centres have been able to provide the women with skills in the areas of hair dressing, weaving, sewing, Cane-chair making, tie and dye. It would also determine the extent the basic health programmes have critically reduced the level of ignorance on health and health related matters and ensured cultural and local sensitivity in health issues (World Bank 2006).  Similarly, as the enormous value of ICT and vocational literacy in respect to income generation, health, and information awareness are obvious, such values for women in Cross River State are yet to be determined.

Nevertheless, available literatures to the researcher in the area of study have not provided information on the extent these programmes have been able to assist the women in enhancing their status or address their perceived needs.  It is based on  this  background  that  the  researcher  was  interested  in  determining  how functional literacy has empowered the women in Cross River State. The problem of this study therefore, was to assess the functional literacy programmes in Cross River State to determine the   extent the programmes have empowered the women. Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent the functional literacy programmes have empowered the women in Cross River State. Specifically, the study assessed the extent:

1.       The vocational skills provided in the vocational centres have empowered the women in Cross River State.

2.       The basic health programmes have empowered women in Cross River

State.

3.       The  extent  to  which  Information  Communication  Technology  have empowered women on computer-related businesses in Cross River State.

Significance of the study

The findings of the study will benefit; researchers, women activists, Cross River State Agency for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education, local governments,  donor  agencies,  non-governmental organizations  and  community development associations.

Researchers will see the findings of the study important document especially those in area of research involving women empowerment and functional literacy. The findings would also help such researchers in comparative study in other states and countries implementing functional literacy programmes.

Cross River State Agency for Mass Literacy will use the document as an assessment tool on progress or  achievements so  far  in the  implementation of functional programmes for women in Cross River State. The outcome of the study would also be a synergy in the self assessments of the agency on the implementation of the functional literacy programme in the state.

The eighteen local government councils would use the document to determine the  weaknesses  and  progress  of  the  programme.  It  would  enable  such  local councils address or give more attention in some aspects of the programme in their areas.

The study would be of immense value to the ministry of women affairs to determine areas of interest in addressing the  needs of women with respect to women empowerment. The outcome of the study can attract funding to the state from the ministry in critical areas of progress or lapses to strengthen them.

It will also help donor agencies and other non-governmental organisations to assess  the  extent  their  finances  and  support  has  helped  in  functional literacy programmes in Cross River State. Such agencies could find the work necessary in addressing similar  issues  in  other  areas.  Women  activists  will  find  the  study interesting as it would help them in assessing the efforts of government and non- governmental organisations in empowering women in Cross River State, Nigeria.

International development agencies such as UNESCO and CEDAW would find the document interesting as they have been implementing several programmes aimed at enhancing the status of women. Some aspects of the programme could be used by the agencies as reference points in new areas for women empowerment. Human Rights Organisations would also see the work relevant as the impact would help them address issues pertaining to the programme on how to strengthen them.

The work would also be significant to communities who are likely to use similar programmes in their community poverty reduction strategies.   Such communities can use the outcome of the study as a blue print on calling for

Government assistance to address and empower their women. The work would as well contribute to literature as it would provide information on women empowerment in Cross River State, which hither to, lack available theoretical and empirical information in literature.

Research questions

The following research questions were posed to guide the study:

1.       To what extent have the  vocational skills provided in the  vocational centres empowered the women in Cross River State?

2.       To what extent have the basic health programmes empowered the women in Cross River State?

3.       To what extent have the Information Communication Technology (ICT)

programmes empowered the women in Cross River State?

Hypotheses

The hypotheses were tested at 0.5 level of significance:

1.  There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of urban and rural  women  on   the   extent  the   vocational  skills   programmes  have empowered women in Cross River State.

2.  There is no significant difference on the mean ratings of urban and rural women on the extent the basic health programmes have empowered the women in Cross River state.

3.  There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the urban and rural women on the extent the Information Communication Technology (ICT) programmes have empowered the women in Cross River State.

Scope of the study

The study is an assessment of functional literacy programmes for women empowerment in Cross River State. The study covered the vocational programmes, basic health programmes and ICT programmes for women in the 18 local government areas of Cross River State.  All the women who are beneficiaries of the vocational, ICT and basic health programmes in Cross River State were used as respondents in the study.

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