The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has trained key officials in Kaduna State on budget tracking and analysis to improve education financing and strengthen accountability in the sector.
The three-day training, which ended on Wednesday in Kaduna, brought together Heads of Department, officers from ministries and agencies, local government officials, primary school staff, representatives of the Ministry of Education, and directors of planning and finance.
According to Bala Dada, UNICEF’s Education Officer in Kaduna, the exercise was part of the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project, designed to ensure better reporting, transparency, and decision-making in the allocation and release of education budgets.
“Kaduna’s education budget is among the highest in the country, but information on expenditure at the local government level is not readily available. This training aims to close that gap by equipping officials to influence decision-makers and ensure resources reach the children who need them most,” Dada said.
He urged participants to apply at least one or two lessons from the training to their work and drive change by the next budget cycle.
Prof. Yahaya Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Scholarship and Loan Board, described the initiative as “a bottom-up and top-down programme” that carried everyone along. He noted that the training highlighted issues such as teacher quality, teacher-pupil ratios, and key performance indicators in education.
“This programme is worthwhile. It should be cascaded to younger staff to build a culture of accountability and planning for the future,” Ibrahim said.
Facilitator Vahyala Kwaga added that the programme focused on results-based budgeting and aimed to strengthen transparency and efficiency in public administration. “The training will ensure that funds are used in the best way possible to positively impact teachers, students, and Kaduna State,” he said.
Participants, including Nurudeen Ramalan and Joshua Yakubu, described the exercise as timely, noting that it had enhanced their skills in budget planning, tracking key indicators, and ensuring cost-effectiveness in education financing.
The initiative, according to UNICEF, is expected to contribute to tackling the out-of-school children challenge in Kaduna by ensuring funds are better planned, tracked, and utilized for the benefit of learners across the state.
