Civic Groups, Government Collaborate to Strengthen Education Budget Oversight in Kaduna

From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna

Education stakeholders in Kaduna State have gathered to improve their ability to engage with the education budget process and promote community participation in tracking and monitoring education spending.

The training, organized by Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation and the Technical Working Group on Strengthening Participatory Budget Process OGP Kaduna SAPIII, in collaboration with the Office of the Auditor General for Kaduna State and with support from Youth Hub Africa and MALALA FUND, aimed to equip participants with skills to identify and gather school needs in their communities.

Speaking at the event, the State Auditor General, Abubakar Abdullahi, emphasized the role of civil society organizations in promoting accountability and transparency in governance.

He mentioned that the Office of the Auditor General is always open to partnering with civil society organizations to ensure effective management of public funds.

The training focused on the Community Participatory Audit (CPA) framework, which allows citizens to participate in the audit process and ensures value for money in education spending.

Participants included members of various civil society groups and government officials, including local government education secretaries.

Doowuese Indyer, Program Officer at YouthHub Africa, explained that the training aimed to build the capacity of education stakeholders to track and oversee the implementation of the education budget.

She stated that the CPA framework would help citizens hold the government accountable for education expenditures and ensure resources are used efficiently.

Yusuf Ishaku Goje, Executive Director of Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, emphasized the importance of citizen involvement in promoting transparency and accountability in education governance.

He noted that the training would enable participants to raise awareness among community stakeholders and foster community engagement in education budget processes.

The participants expressed optimism that the training would strengthen their ability to engage with the education budget process and boost community participation in tracking and monitoring education spending.

They called for ongoing support and collaboration to ensure that education resources are utilized effectively to improve learning outcomes in Kaduna State.

The training objectives included strengthening the capacity of citizens and local education actors to effectively engage in the education budget cycle, equipping community members with practical skills to analyze, track, and monitor education budget allocations and expenditures, and promoting inclusive and gender-responsive approaches to education budgeting.