From: Femi Mustapha
Education stakeholders in Kaduna State have come together to strengthen their ability to engage with the education budget process and encourage community involvement 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 partnership with the Office of the Auditor General for Kaduna State and supported by Youth Hub Africa and MALALA FUND, aimed to equip participants with skills to identify and collect school needs within their communities.
Speaking at the event, the State Auditor General, Speaker Abubakar Abdullahi, emphasized the role of civil society organizations in fostering accountability and transparency in governance.
He noted that the Office of the Auditor General is always open to collaborating with civil society groups to ensure responsible management of public funds.
The training focused on the Community Participatory Audit (CPA) framework, which enables citizens to participate in the audit process and ensure value for money in education spending. Participants included members of various civil society organizations 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 enable citizens to hold the government accountable for education spending and ensure resources are used effectively.
Yusuf Ishaku Goje, Executive Director of Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, highlighted the importance of citizen involvement in promoting transparency and accountability in education governance.
He mentioned that the training would empower participants to raise awareness among community stakeholders and foster greater community engagement in education budget processes.
Participants expressed hope that the training would enhance their ability to participate in the education budget cycle and increase community involvement in tracking and overseeing education spending.
They called for sustained support and collaboration to ensure that education resources are used efficiently to improve learning outcomes in Kaduna State.
The training aimed to strengthen the skills of citizens and local education actors to actively engage in the education budget cycle, provide community members with practical tools to analyze, track, and monitor education budget allocations and expenditures, and promote inclusive and gender-responsive approaches to education budgeting.
