Enrollment at Adult High Schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: An Exploration of Motivation, Age, and Gender Using Boshier's EPS A-Form

Abstract

Motivation plays a crucial role in adult learners’ decisions to enroll in educational programs. This study aimed to evaluate the motivations for adult learners who enrolled at adult high schools in Riyadh as well as the potential gender and age differences for their motivations. The Education Participation Scale (EPS) A-Form was administered to adult learners, and 221 valid responses were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis H tests. The results indicated that professional advancement, cognitive interest, and educational preparation were the primary motivations, while social contact was the least influential motivator. Furthermore, female respondents reported higher levels of motivation for educational preparation than male respondents, but no significant differences were observed for motivational orientations across age groups. To enhance participation in adult high-school programs, the General Department of Continuing Education should tailor its enrollment strategies that they appeal to the three main motivations for various groups.