The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has trained key education officials in Kaduna State on how to track and analyse budgets to improve funding and accountability in the sector.
The three-day programme, which ended on Wednesday, brought together local government officials, ministry staff, and school representatives. It was part of the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project, aimed at ensuring that education resources are well-managed and reach the children most in need.
UNICEF Education Officer, Bala Dada, explained that although Kaduna has one of the highest education budgets in Nigeria, spending details at the local government level are often unclear. He said the training would help officials influence decision-making and ensure transparency.
Prof. Yahaya Ibrahim of the Kaduna State Scholarship and Loan Board praised the initiative as inclusive, stressing the need to cascade it to younger staff to build a culture of accountability.
Facilitators and participants agreed that the programme would improve budget planning and efficiency in Kaduna’s education system.
