Gender-Responsive Educational Planning and Girl-Child Education Outcomes in the North West Geopolitical Zone: A Longitudinal Analysis

This study conducts a longitudinal analysis of the relationship between gender-responsive educational planning and girl-child education outcomes in the North West geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Gender-responsive planning, which integrates gender analysis into all stages of educational policy design, resource allocation, and programme monitoring, is championed in international frameworks as an essential strategy for achieving gender parity in education. The North West zone records Nigeria's widest gender gaps in school enrolment and completion, providing a critical context for evaluating planning responsiveness and outcome effects. The study employs a longitudinal mixed methods design spanning 2015 to 2024. Quantitative data from the School Census and EMIS databases for Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, and Kaduna States are analysed using fixed-effects panel regression. Qualitative data from 50 in-depth interviews with state education planners, community leaders, and school administrators are analysed thematically. The study draws on the Gender-Responsive Planning Framework of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the Capabilities Approach of Nussbaum. Findings demonstrate that states with higher gender-responsive planning scores, characterised by gender-disaggregated data use, girl-targeted budget allocations, and community engagement strategies, show significantly faster trajectories of improvement in girl enrolment, retention, and learning outcomes over the study period. The study makes an original methodological contribution by constructing and validating a Gender-Responsive Planning Index for the North West zone. Policy recommendations are offered for education ministries and development partners. Keywords: gender-responsive planning, girl-child education, North West Nigeria, longitudinal analysis, educational outcomes.