Reconceptualising Adult Education Outcomes Beyond Literacy: A Mixed-Methods Study of Holistic Learning in Nigerian Communities

This study reconceptualises adult education outcomes in Nigeria beyond the dominant literacy and vocational skills paradigm, developing and empirically validating a holistic outcome framework that captures the full spectrum of learning benefits experienced by adult education participants. Current Nigerian adult education evaluation frameworks measure programme success almost exclusively through reading, writing, and numeracy acquisition metrics, systematically undervaluing the psychosocial, civic, environmental, spiritual, and relational outcomes that adult learners themselves report as central to their educational experiences. This study uses an explanatory sequential mixed-method design. Phase one involves a national survey of 1,200 adult education programme graduates across all six geopolitical zones, using an exploratory factor analysis to identify the latent outcome dimensions that graduates most frequently report. Phase two consists of phenomenological interviews with 90 purposively selected graduates to deepen understanding of how each outcome dimension is experienced and valued. An original Holistic Adult Education Outcomes Framework is developed from the integrated findings, comprising eight dimensions: functional literacy and numeracy, vocational and economic capability, health and wellbeing literacy, civic and political agency, relational and social connectedness, cultural identity and pride, spiritual and existential awareness, and environmental stewardship. Structural equation modelling validates the framework's internal structure and discriminant validity. The study concludes that Nigeria's adult education monitoring and evaluation system must be fundamentally expanded to capture the holistic learning that adult programmes actually produce. It recommends adoption of the Holistic Outcomes Framework by UBEC as the national adult education evaluation standard.

Keywords: holistic adult education outcomes, mixed methods, Nigeria, evaluation framework, lifelong learning.