2017 Financial Training Day

- What happens when banks go bust?

- What is the difference between credit and debit?

- What if I need a loan to buy a car and the bank won't give me one?

These questions could have been asked by adults but the truth is that they were put by young students directly to those who work in banks. The APB, with its Financial Education Working Group, participated in another National Financial Training Day. This year, the celebrations took place on 30 October, at the Fernando Pessoa School Grouping, in Olivais. The activities developed helped to promote financial literacy among 1,300 students from the 1st to the 9th grade.

Throughout the day, the students were able to visit the "Bancool", a replica of a bank branch, and simulate a conversation at the counter between a client and a bank employee. When asked about the role of banks in the economy, many said that banks are for "saving money".

The importance of the concept of saving was widely conveyed to the students through the various sessions of the workshop on saving promoted by the APB’s Financial Education Working Group. Students learned how to manage their pocket money and that when they borrow money they have to be able to pay it back.

The little ones, on the other hand, could let their imagination run wild and draw euro banknotes to buy or do whatever they wanted. Most children drew banknotes to buy a house, a car or even teleportation, but some also remembered that euro notes could be used to help the poor, or their parents, or that they could go into the piggy bank.

See how the Financial Training Day was!

In this initiative, developed under the scope of the National Financial Training Plan, it was also announced that Financial Literacy would be part of the curricular programme of all schools, starting next year. This is good news for those who advocate the promotion of greater financial education for all!