Abstract
The study determined the perceptions of adult education administrators (AEAs) on expanding subject-matter competency for humanizing adult literacy education programme (ALEP) in Nigeria. It investigated whether the perceptions of AEAs on expanding subject-matter competency varied depending on opinions of experts in ALEP. Two research questions were raised, and one null hypothesis postulated to guide the study. The study used a population of 225 AEAs in Enugu State, Nigeria. Survey research design was used to collect data for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a uni-dimensional five-point Likert scale questionnaire with 58 items titled, “Perceptions of Adult Education Administrators’ on Expanding Subject-Matter Competency Questionnaire (PAEAESMCQ)”. The instrument was prepared and sent by e-mail to 225 AEAs. Construct validity of the instrument was done to determine the appropriateness of the dataset for factor analysis, and Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.97 was obtained. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to determine the normality of the distribution scale, while Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the perceptions of AEAs across different groups. The findings of the study showed that AEAs felt quite competent about their subject-matter expertise. Subject-matter competency views among AEAs were found to be insensitive to factors such as gender, academic background, teaching experience as a facilitator, and discipline (adult education versus other fields). The study recommended that, in order to establish competency benchmarks that are consistent with global best practices, the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education should collaborate with the State Agency for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education. In addition, policymakers should allocate funds for continuous professional development of AEAs. DOI: https://doie.org/10.50390/NCAEJ.2026516261