Monitoring and Evaluation Systems in Adult Education Programmes in Borno State

This study assessed the monitoring and evaluation systems operating within adult education programmes in Borno State, North East Nigeria. Given the significant humanitarian and developmental context of North East Nigeria following years of insurgency-related disruption, robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks are essential for ensuring that adult education programme resources reach intended beneficiaries and produce measurable outcomes. The study employed a descriptive-evaluative design involving 65 monitoring and evaluation officers, programme managers, and field supervisors from five local government areas. Questionnaires, document review of monitoring reports, and key informant interviews formed the data collection base. Findings revealed that monitoring and evaluation was largely underfunded and undervalued within the state's adult education management structure. Monitoring visits were infrequent, lacked standardised data collection tools, and rarely generated actionable feedback loops for programme improvement. Evaluation activities were episodic and externally driven, typically occurring only when donor reporting requirements demanded them. Staff responsible for monitoring lacked adequate training in evaluation methodologies and data analysis. The study recommends developing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework specifically designed for Borno State's post-conflict adult education context, training dedicated monitoring officers in participatory evaluation techniques, establishing quarterly programme review cycles, and integrating beneficiary feedback mechanisms into monitoring systems. External programme audits by independent academic institutions are proposed as an additional quality safeguard. Keywords: monitoring and evaluation, adult education, post-conflict, Borno State, programme management.