Pupils learn to manage money

[MotherBear]

Young pupils learning to manage money
5:00AM Tuesday June 24, 2008
By Martha McKenzie-Minifie

Children as young as 5 will be taught how to manage money under a new pilot project in schools.

Mounting credit-card debt among young New Zealanders, more complex banking schemes and 24-hour access to money are among the drivers for the programme - which could be rolled out to all schools.

Led by the Retirement Commission, it taps into the new national curriculum's strengthened focus on developing students' financial capability.

Despite banks giving $400,000 in funding, Retirement Commission education projects manager Lester Taylor said the scheme would not involve pushing banking products in class.

"In the secondary schools, you may be talking about savings accounts and banks and the share market and insurance," said Mr Taylor. "But there's nothing about product promotion or any of that sort of thing - that's clearly outside the realm."

More here.