By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

The Enhancing Communities Action for Peace and Better Health Initiative (e-CAPH) has strengthened the capacity of its staff and Board of Trustees to improve governance, accountability and girls’ secondary education in Kaduna State.

The capacity-building activities were organised under the Strengthening Policy Implementation, Financing and Accountability for Girls’ Secondary Education (PAF-GSE) project, supported by Malala Fund.

A four-day staff training was held in Yankari, Bauchi State, from September 5 to 8.

The training focused on project orientation, governance, organisational development, accountability, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, SMART objectives, education financing and the Theory of Change.

It also addressed teamwork, communication, emotional intelligence and collective responsibility through presentations, discussions, group exercises, practical examples and knowledge assessments.

The training enabled participants to better understand their responsibilities and how their roles contributed to the objectives and expected results of the PAF-GSE project.

Participants also examined governance, authority and accountability, with emphasis on clear decision-making structures, reporting lines and responsible exercise of authority.

The training further examined e-CAPH’s institutional identity and six organisational components, namely foundation, operating system, production, direction, engine and connections.

Participants explored evidence-based advocacy, particularly the relationship between evidence, identified problems, objectives, advocacy demands and advocacy messages.

The training encouraged participants to use evidence in engaging decision-makers on education financing and monitoring implementation against existing policies and commitments.

A pre- and post-training assessment involving 10 participants showed an increase in the average score from 54 per cent before the training to 96 per cent afterwards.

All the 15 participants who completed both assessments improved their scores from 56 to 96 percent, while seven recorded 100 per cent in the post-training assessment.

The staff training had 15 participants, comprising five males and 10 females.

Separately, e-CAPH also conducted a two-day capacity-building training for its Board of Trustees in Abuja from September 19 to 20.

The Board training, themed “Governance, Leadership, Advocacy and Project Oversight”, focused on strengthening strategic oversight, accountability and support for the PAF-GSE Kaduna Project.

The training covered governance, monitoring and evaluation, NGO management, leadership, conflict management, resource mobilisation, project management and SMART feminist advocacy.

Participants examined the distinction between governance and management, with emphasis on the Board’s responsibility for strategic direction, policy approval, financial oversight, risk management and leadership accountability.

The sessions also explored Board-management relationships, decision-making authority, communication channels and approaches to preventing and resolving organisational conflicts.

Resource mobilisation was presented as an organisational sustainability strategy involving financial resources, people, knowledge, relationships and in-kind support.

The Board also participated in action planning to translate lessons from the training into practical commitments and follow-up actions.

The activities were signed by Dr. Bilques Yusuf, Board Chairperson; Abdulmumin Rabi’u Aliyu, Lead Director; and Khadija Lawal Aliyu, Project Coordinator, in a statement made available to newsmen.

The signatories said the capacity-building activities were expected to strengthen governance, accountability, organisational learning and effective implementation of the PAF-GSE Kaduna Project.

They also emphasised evidence-based decision-making, stakeholder engagement and continuous capacity development as essential to sustainable programme implementation.

The PAF-GSE Kaduna Project focuses on strengthening policy implementation, financing and accountability for girls’ secondary education, including addressing barriers that affect married adolescents, pregnant girls, young mothers and other girls excluded from secondary education.

The project covers Igabi, Chikun, Kagarko, Jama’a, Kubau and Soba Local Government Areas, with emphasis on evidence generation and statewide policy implementation advocacy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project is designed to contribute to improved implementation, financing and accountability for girls’ secondary education in Kaduna State.