What if children learned how to budget, save, invest and spot financial scams before they left school?

At a time when young people are increasingly exposed to online spending, digital payments and financial decisions from an early age, San Anton School is taking steps to ensure students are equipped with the skills needed to navigate the modern financial world.

The school has successfully completed the Financial Capability & Entrepreneurship Development Programme for Educators, delivered through JA Malta's Centre of Excellence in collaboration with the University of Malta. The initiative forms part of a broader effort to make financial literacy a practical, everyday component of education rather than a standalone topic.

The programme, aligned with the EU/OECD Financial Competence Framework for Children and Youth, focuses on helping educators integrate financial literacy and entrepreneurship into lessons for students aged between six and 15.

Through a series of specialised modules, participating educators explored topics ranging from budgeting and saving to investing, credit, insurance, consumer rights and fraud prevention. The programme also incorporated entrepreneurial thinking, creativity and project-based learning through the EntreComp Framework.

At San Anton School, educators from both the Junior and Senior sectors successfully completed the training and were awarded certificates recognising their achievement.

But the impact extends beyond teacher development.

Throughout the scholastic year, students from Grades 4 to 11 were introduced to practical financial concepts designed to prepare them for real-world situations. Lessons focused on responsible spending, saving habits, informed decision-making and entrepreneurial thinking.

One of the programme's highlights was the school's Make & Sell Marketplace initiative, where students gained hands-on experience in budgeting, pricing products, calculating profits and interacting with customers. Rather than learning financial concepts solely through textbooks, students had the opportunity to apply them in a realistic setting.

Senior students were also introduced to topics such as investment awareness, financial planning and long-term savings strategies.

The initiative comes as financial literacy is increasingly recognised as an essential life skill. Research has consistently shown that early exposure to financial education can improve money management habits, increase confidence in decision-making and help individuals avoid costly financial mistakes later in life.

San Anton School is now preparing to build on this momentum.

The school plans to launch a dedicated Money Club next scholastic year, offering students additional opportunities to explore personal finance, budgeting, saving and investment principles through interactive activities and experiential learning.

It is also set to become an accredited Financial Literacy Hub, led by its newly certified educators.

The wider Centre of Excellence initiative is already gaining traction across Malta. According to JA Malta, the programme has reached more than 3,400 students through a growing network of participating schools and educators, helping to embed financial capability and entrepreneurship education into everyday learning experiences.