Saskatchewan high schools now offering financial literacy courses

High schools across the province are now able to offer courses in financial literacy at the 20- and 30-level. Designed as electives, the courses fall under the Practical and Applied Arts/Arts Education requirement for high school graduation.

Financial Literacy 20 and 30 will address topics about financial matters and decisions that students may face in the years following high school, such as homeownership, debt management, and financial planning for the future.

The classes will focus on key areas, such as saving, spending, borrowing, investing, and protecting financial assets. It will also touch on the value of receiving money or resources as recognition for hard work and offering one’s skills or time. “Saskatchewan’s school boards recognize the importance of financial literacy and our members passed a resolution in support of developing elective personal finance classes for high school students,” said president of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association Dr. Shawn Davidson said, in a press release. “[In a recent public engagement survey], we heard a clear desire from students, families, and communities for increased opportunities to learn life skills like budgeting and money management. We welcome the availability of these classes across the province.”

The courses were piloted by 20 teachers in 12 different school divisions and two First Nation education authorities across the province.

It will now fall to the local boards of education in each region to decide which schools in the province will be offering these courses without their division.