Designing a Cross-Cultural Literature Reading Programme for Adult Literacy Centres in North Central Nigeria

Adult literacy programmes in North Central Nigeria typically focus on functional literacy in English or indigenous languages without exploiting the potential of comparative literature reading to develop cultural awareness, critical thinking, and civic engagement among adult learners. This study designed a cross-cultural literature reading programme for adult literacy centres in Benue, Kogi, and Niger States. A programme design methodology was adopted, incorporating a formative needs assessment with 45 adult learners and 12 facilitators at six literacy centres, a review of accessible literary texts appropriate for adult beginning readers, and consultation with five adult education specialists. The needs assessment identified a strong interest in storytelling and narrative but limited exposure to written literary texts from outside learners' own cultural backgrounds. The programme designed comprises eight thematic units structured around accessible folk tales, short stories, and poetry from across Africa and the world, with Hausa, Yoruba, Tiv, and Igbo language entry points provided alongside English versions. Comparative discussion guides encourage learners to situate stories from other cultures alongside their own oral literary traditions. Facilitator training materials and community reading circle guides are included. Expert review by six adult education and comparative literature specialists confirmed the programme's conceptual soundness and cultural sensitivity. The study recommends piloting the programme at two literacy centres in each of the three states, with a formal participant learning outcomes assessment after six months.

Keywords: cross-cultural literature, adult literacy, North Central Nigeria, reading programme, cultural awareness