Financial Literacy Essential to Student Success, Stronger Economy

Waterloo Region - Starting in September 2011, Grade 4 to 12 students in Ontario will be learning to make informed choices and effective decisions about the use and management of money.

The global economic challenges of the last year have highlighted the need to ensure a financially literate population.

To determine how to introduce financial literacy into Ontario’s curriculum, a working group, co- chaired by Parliamentary Assistant Leeanna Pendergast, will provide a report to the Ministry of Education’sCurriculum Council in summer 2010.

The working group will seek input from a variety of educational and financial sector experts to:

- identify the core financial concepts that constitute “financial literacy”

- develop a list of financial literacy concepts and skills

- advise how to seamlessly integrate the list into the existing curriculum.

The Ministry of Education will also work in partnership with the Investor Education Fund to develop resources and professional development opportunities for teachers.

“Our goal is to develop a made-in-Ontario solution that aims to be a leading example – globally – of how financial education can be integrated into schools.” — Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Education

“By including financial literacy in our publicly-funded education system, we are giving our students the critical skills they need to navigate an increasingly complex global financial and economic system.” — Leeanna Pendergast, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education

“Basic financial skills are a critical building block in every person’s education. Integrating financial skills development throughout the curriculum ensures that Ontario students have the knowledge to make effective decisions throughout their lives.” — Tom Hamza, President, Investor Education Fund