Education Ministry announces mandatory financial education classes for ninth, tenth grades

August 3, 2026 - 01:48

Starting next school year, ninth and tenth grade students will be required to take a new financial education course, the Ministry of Education confirmed on Tuesday. The move is part of a broader push to equip teenagers with practical money management skills before they leave secondary school.

The curriculum, developed over the past two years, blends core economic theory with insights from behavioral psychology and hands-on life skill training. Rather than just teaching how to balance a checkbook, the course will cover topics like budgeting, understanding credit, recognizing predatory lending, and making informed consumer choices. Officials say the goal is to help students build a healthy relationship with money early, so they avoid common pitfalls like high-interest debt or impulse spending.

A significant portion of the class will focus on the psychological side of finance, such as how emotions and peer pressure influence purchasing decisions. Students will also work through real-world scenarios, like planning a monthly budget on a limited income or comparing loan offers. The ministry has already trained over two thousand teachers to lead the new classes, and pilot programs in several districts showed positive results, with students reporting higher confidence in managing their own finances.

The announcement has drawn mixed reactions. Some parents welcome the practical approach, while a few educators worry about adding another required subject to an already packed schedule. The ministry, however, insists the course is essential, noting that financial literacy is a core life skill in today's economy. The new requirement will apply to all public schools, with private institutions encouraged to follow the same standards.