Training Needs Assessment for Adult Education Workers in Ebonyi State

This study conducts a training needs assessment for adult education workers in Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria, identifying professional development gaps and priority training areas. Adult education workers, including facilitators, supervisors, and programme coordinators, require specific competencies in adult learning principles, instructional design, community mobilisation, and monitoring and evaluation to deliver effective programmes. In Ebonyi State, where adult illiteracy rates remain high, the professional capacity of the adult education workforce is a critical programme quality determinant. This study uses a descriptive survey design, administering structured questionnaires to 110 adult education workers across Abakaliki, Afikpo, and Onueke. The questionnaire assesses current skill levels, perceived competency gaps, and training preferences across 12 competency domains. Data are analysed using mean scores and descriptive statistics, with competency gaps identified where mean competency ratings fall below the desired performance standard. Findings reveal that assessment and evaluation skills, use of participatory learning methods, and community mobilisation techniques are the three competency areas with the largest training gaps across the sample. Subject-specific content knowledge is generally adequate, while adult learning theory knowledge is uniformly weak. Preferred training formats include short workshop clusters and peer learning exchanges rather than long residential courses. The study concludes that a targeted competency-based training programme addressing the identified priority gaps is urgently needed for Ebonyi State adult education workers. It recommends an annual training calendar developed collaboratively with the State Agency for Mass Education and UBEC.

Keywords: training needs assessment, adult education workers, Ebonyi State, capacity building, professional development.