Gender and Power Relations in Adult Literacy Classrooms in Katsina State: A Qualitative Inquiry

This study examined gender and power relations as they manifest within adult literacy classroom interactions in Katsina State, North West Nigeria. Classroom dynamics in adult education settings are not power-neutral; they reflect and reproduce broader social hierarchies of gender, age, and status that can either facilitate or obstruct transformative learning. The study adopted a qualitative case study design involving three adult literacy classroom sites across two local government areas. Data collection combined twelve weeks of systematic classroom observation, twenty semi-structured learner interviews, and six facilitator interview sessions. Feminist discourse analysis and Foucauldian power frameworks guided data interpretation. Findings revealed that classroom interactions were characterised by multiple intersecting power dynamics, with male learners more frequently receiving facilitator attention, female learners self-censoring contributions in mixed-gender settings, and facilitators unconsciously reproducing patriarchal communication patterns. Women-only classes demonstrated markedly more participatory and egalitarian interaction patterns, with women speaking more frequently, asking more questions, and expressing disagreement more openly. Facilitator gender also influenced classroom dynamics, with female facilitators generating more gender-equitable interaction environments. The study recommends implementing gender-responsive facilitation training for all adult literacy facilitators, establishing women-only learning spaces as a default option in culturally conservative communities, and developing classroom assessment tools that track gender equity in participation patterns. Keywords: gender, power relations, adult literacy classroom, Katsina State, feminist pedagogy.