A group of CSOs in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria has described Annual Operation Plan on education as key to ensuring efficient and effective sector budget implementation for improved outcomes.
And for the Plan to achieve its objectives, there is need to develop it after budget approval to ensure alignment with budget implementation.
This is contained in a communique issued at the end of virtual step down engagement and strategy session by the CSOs on development of education sector annual operation plan.
Full text of the communique signed by Alheri Waje Lead, Education Cohort, KAD-LGAM and Waniya Ilu, Head of Admin, KAD-LGAM read :-
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE VIRTUAL STEP DOWN ENGAGEMENT AND STRATEGY SESSION ON DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION SECTOR ANNUAL OPERATION PLAN
Preamble
Towards strengthening social accountability in the education sector at the local government level, on the 27th of April, 2024, the Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (KAD-LGAM) facilitated a virtual step-down engagement and strategy session. The session was aimed at stepping down learnings from the PLANE supported workshop to CDC Champions on the development of education sector annual operational plan earlier held in Kano State. In addition, generate strategies to advocate for high-level political buy-in and effective tracking of the AOP implementation. In attendance at the session were Community Development Charter (CDC) Champions, KADLGAM secretariat members and partners from the wider civil society. The session was facilitated by the Team Lead of KAD-LGAM Secretariat who represented the mechanism at the workshop.
Key Highlights
PLANE supported the Ministry of Education, Department and Agencies, including its focal LGAs, to develop the Annual Operational Plan (AOP) for 2024 at a four-day activity in Kano.
Commendably, invitation was extended to the Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism KAD-LGAM and Kaduna Basic Education Accountability Mechanism (KADBEAM).
KADLGAM as part of its commitment in the next steps organized the virtual session aimed at enhancing the capacity of Community Development Charter (CDC) Champions from the 6 PLANE focal LGAs, and the remaining 17, to advocate for high-level political buy-in and strategize on effective tracking of the implementation of the developed annual operational plans.
The virtual step-down session provided direction on strategies for evidence gathering and sharing (independent feedback) during the quarterly review meeting for the purpose of learning and improvement of performance.
The Annual Operation Plan is key to ensuring efficient and effective education sector budget implementation for improved outcomes.
For the AOP to achieve its objectives there is need for a strong linkage between the budget and policies/plans of government for the sector.
The appropriate timing for the development AOP was discussed, whether it should be developed before or after the budget approval. To ensure alignment with budget implementation it was suggested that it should be immediately after the budget has been approved.
To achieve transformational impact, the development of the AOP needs to be scaled up to the remaining 17 LGAs.
Resolutions
Call on the Ministry for Local Government Affair and Ministry of Education to partner with PLANE to scale-up the development of the AOP to all the LGAs.
Partner and track the implementation of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) AOP with focus on activities at the LGAs.
Generate advocacy strategies for the buy-in of the Council Chairmen in the 6 pilot LGAs.
Facilitate evidence gathering in the 6 pilot LGAs with AOP and disseminate during the quarterly review of performance.
The 6 pilot LGAs should synergies with the remaining LGAs in order to have a step down training to replicate the AOP process across the 23 LGAs,” the communique concludes.