Challenges Nigerian Women face as Adult Learners in Learning Spaces

Abstract

Nigerian women are confronted by an array of issues and concerns which tend to affect the extent to which they can participate in learning opportunities within varied learning spaces. This position paper, therefore, examined the issues and challenges women deal with through a review of empirical studies by Nigerian researchers. Results revealed that Nigerian women contended with time constraints, stress from combining multiple roles, financial constraints, inadequacy of facilities, lack of support and encouragement, socio-cultural and religious demands, attitudinal disposition, as well as language and communication barriers across diverse learning spaces. This paper identified the need for Nigerian women, as learners, to surmount or work around the difficulties (if they cannot be eradicated) that hinder them from achieving their learning needs and aspirations. Recommendations were proffered to solve the identified challenges with implications for individual, family, and societal well-being.