<![CDATA[High dropout rates undermine the impact of adult literacy programmes in rural Nigeria. Facilitators, though central to learner engagement, seldom receive training in the supportive interpersonal skills needed to retain adult learners who face complex personal, economic, and motivational barriers. This study evaluated the effect of a brief supportive counselling skills module (BCSM) delivered to adult literacy facilitators on learner retention in rural Cross River State. A cluster-randomised controlled trial was conducted with 60 literacy centres randomly assigned to an intervention group (30 centres, 30 facilitators, 298 learners) or a wait-list control group (30 centres, 30 facilitators, 302 learners). Facilitators in the intervention arm received a three-day training in active listening, motivational interviewing, basic problem-solving, and referral skills, followed by monthly supervision. Control facilitators received only standard curriculum training. The primary outcome was learner retention at six months, defined as the proportion of enrolled learners who completed the literacy cycle. Secondary outcomes included learner motivation, measured by the Adult Learner Motivation Scale, and facilitator counselling self-efficacy. Data were collected at baseline and six months post-intervention. At six months, retention was significantly higher in the intervention group (71.5%) than in the control group (48.3%), with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.74 (95% CI [1.93, 3.89], p < .001). The intervention group also showed significantly greater improvements in learner motivation (p < .001, d = 0.62) and facilitator counselling self-efficacy (p < .001, d = 1.54). Qualitative interviews with facilitators revealed that the skills enabled them to build trust, address learners’ personal obstacles, and create emotionally safer learning environments. The findings demonstrate that equipping adult literacy facilitators with brief counselling skills is an effective, scalable strategy to improve learner retention in resource-constrained rural settings. Policy implications for integrating supportive counselling into national adult literacy curricula are discussed.]]>
