FOLLOW THE EDUCATION MONEY: SJF CONCLUDES GENDER-LENS COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT (GLCAP) IN OYO STATE

The GLCAP Group comprising of Savingcross Justicepoint Foundation (SJF), Goldsworth Impact Initiative and Exousia Foundation has successfully concluded the implementation of its “Follow the Education Money: A Gender Lens Community Accountability Project,” an initiative designed to strengthen community participation, transparency and accountability in education financing in Oyo State.

Implemented in Ibadan North and Ibadan South-West, the project responded to a critical challenge in education governance: the difficulty ordinary citizens face in accessing and understanding public education budget information. While government budgets contain allocations for education development and interventions, technical budget documents can make it difficult for communities to determine what has been provided for, how resources are intended to be used, and whether those priorities reflect the needs of learners.

A major component of the project was the development of a Simplified Gender Budget Snapshot, drawing on the Oyo State 2025 Approved Budget and relevant evidence, including the GREBS Compliance Assessment. The information was translated into a more accessible format to help community stakeholders understand education allocations and consider their implications for girls’ access, safety, retention and completion.

The project also strengthened the capacity and confidence of women, youth representatives, School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), Community Development Committee (CDC) members, community leaders and other community stakeholders to participate in evidence-based accountability discussions.

Through community engagement and dialogue with relevant education stakeholders, participants were encouraged not merely to identify problems but to connect community concerns with specific government commitments and seek clarification from responsible authorities.

Engagements with government representatives, including the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education Intervention, provided an avenue for community perspectives to reach decision-makers.

The project further used media advocacy, particularly through Oxygen FM, to extend conversations on education financing, school rehabilitation and public accountability beyond the immediate project participants. This helped bring education financing issues into the wider public space and encouraged continued civic interest in how education resources are managed.

Importantly, the project demonstrated that accountability can begin with something as fundamental as understanding the budget. When citizens have accessible information, they are better positioned to ask informed questions, participate in decision-making and engage duty-bearers constructively.

The initiative also recorded responses and commitments from community accountability actors, including SBMCs and CDC members, reinforcing the importance of community structures in sustaining oversight of education services.

According to the GLCAP group, the project has moved participating communities from limited access to budget information towards informed participation, constructive dialogue and collective accountability action.

The group appreciates the contributions of its collaborating organisations and stakeholders, including Onelife Initiative, FOCE Charity, Education as a Vaccine, YouthHub Africa, Invictus Africa and AREAi, as well as community leaders, SBMCs, CDC members, education stakeholders and the media.

GLCAP group believes that every naira allocated to education should translate into meaningful improvement in the lives and learning conditions of children.

The group therefore calls for continued openness in education financing, stronger citizen participation and greater attention to the different needs of girls and boys in education planning and implementation.

For further information:
Gender Lens Community Accountability Project Team
Advancing Justice. Strengthening Communities. Promoting Accountability.