Kaduna Trains Education Finance, Planning, Budget Officers On Results-Based Budgeting

By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna

Kaduna State has embarked on a three-day intensive capacity-building programme for education finance, planning, and budget officers across the state.

The “Nigerian Education Finance (E-Finance) training, supported by UNICEF under the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project, brought together more than 120,000 participants from the state education and local government levels, including directors and heads of finance, planning, and education agencies.

The workshop focused on Results-Based Budgeting (RBB), a system that ties budget allocations to measurable outcomes in the education sector.

Participants were also trained on Expenditure Tracking and Reporting (ETR) using real-life budget execution data to improve transparency and accountability.

Bala Dada, UNICEF Education Officer in Kaduna, explained the rationale for the training:

“Today, we have convened participants from ministries, agencies, and all 23 local governments in Kaduna. The purpose is to strengthen their capacity in budget tracking, analysis, and planning for education.

“Our goal is simple: by the next budget cycle, we want to see tangible changes that will positively impact children’s access to education, especially those currently out of school.”

Local government representatives described the training as both timely and impactful. Nurudeen Omar, Head of Finance and Accounts, Igabi LGA, said the lessons would help officers advocate for critical activities often overlooked or underfunded in budgets:

“This program is very vital. With the knowledge gained, we can now better capture and support activities that directly improve teaching and learning.”

For Mr. Joshua Haruna Yakubu, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics, Kaduna South LGEA, the workshop offered practical tools:

“We learned about key indicators such as teacher–pupil ratios, absenteeism tracking, instructional costs, and inclusion measures.

“This will help us align budgets with the Sustainable Development Goals and improve learning outcomes.”

At the state level, Yahya Saleh Ibrahim, Executive Secretary, Kaduna Scholarship and Loan Board, praised the inclusive nature of the program:

“This training has cascaded properly. Everyone is represented from ministries to agencies to local government offices.

“It’s not just about having teachers, but quality teachers. We must also cascade this knowledge to younger staff so it continues to make an impact.”

The training was facilitated by BudgIT Foundation, whose Head of Research and Policy Advisory, Vahyela Kwaga, emphasized that results-based budgeting improves accountability:

“This approach ensures funds are used effectively to impact teachers and students. It also strengthens the competence of civil servants and promotes transparency.

“However, we have seen limited participation from the legislature, and that gap weakens oversight. For real impact, all arms of government must be fully involved.”

With Kaduna State recording one of the highest education budget allocations in Nigeria, stakeholders say the real challenge lies not in funding levels but in tracking how money is spent.

The hope is that this training will empower officers to generate and report accurate data, improving education financing and ensuring that more children, particularly those out of school, gain access to quality learning.