The Centre of Excellence in Financial Capability & Entrepreneurship (CoE) has marked its breakout year with a huge surge in demand for its services. 

The CoE equips educators and schools to integrate financial capability and entrepreneurship across a curriculum through accredited training, resources, and mentorship, helping young people become confident, critical thinkers and responsible decision-makers.  

Established by JA Malta, the HSBC Malta Foundation, and the Ministry for Education, the CoE has seen demand for its teacher training more than triple, with four upcoming October sessions already fully booked. 

From its early pilot projects in schools across Malta, the initiative has demonstrated that when teachers are given the right tools and training, students quickly engage with essential money skills such as budgeting, saving, evaluating offers, avoiding scams, and planning for future goals.  

As of June 2025, 19 educators were recognised as Accredited Financial Capability Teachers, reflecting months of practical implementation in classrooms. Many of these teachers are now active contributors to the CoE’s community of practice, sharing resources, co-creating activities, and mentoring peers. 

Petra Ellul-Mercer, Financial Capability Project Developer at JA Malta, praised the project's success.

“Our vision was clear: financial capability should not be a stand-alone subject but a way of teaching across disciplines," she said.

"The surge in demand shows that schools and educators are eager for practical training that delivers immediate benefits for students.” 

The CoE’s work also connects with broader educational initiatives such as Let’s Talk Farming and Eco Skola, embedding financial literacy into sustainability and entrepreneurship projects. Its hands-on resources include Dilemme, a financial education board game adapted for Maltese classrooms with support from the HSBC Malta Foundation.  

Glenn Bugeja, Head of Corporate Sustainability at HSBC Bank Malta, affirmed the CoE's role in building skills for the future.

“This is such an important initiative, and it is encouraging to see it off to such a strong start. By working together with educators and partners, we are helping to build lifelong skills and confidence that young people will carry into their future careers and communities,” he said.  

Looking ahead, the CoE will honour the first schools to achieve recognition as Centres of Excellence in Financial Capability & Entrepreneurship at the Digital Finance Frontiers conference on 15 October 2025 - one year to the day since its inception.  

Visit https://jamalta.org/centre-of-excellence/ for more detailed information.