Sobreira Secondary School is the big winner of the 6th edition of the European Money Quiz

30th March, 2023

Francisco Ferreira Silva and José Miguel Silva, from Sobreira School, in Paredes, district of Porto, were the national winners of the financial literacy competition - European Money Quiz - which in Portugal is promoted by the Portuguese Banking Association (APB).

Francisco is in the 8th grade of basic education and José in the 9th, both in the science area. 

"This experience was very interesting because at the same time as we learn new things, we also have fun and play against the best from all over the country" says Francisco, 13 years old. José, 15 years old, considers that the European Money Quiz "is a very interesting and challenging competition, informing students about the financial world and preparing them for adult life".

The duo from Paredes will now represent Portugal in the European final, in Brussels, where an even more challenging test awaits them, but also a fun and entertaining journey. "I think it will be a very difficult final but I hope to win and even if I don't, to be playing against the best students in Europe is already a great victory" believes Francisco.

In the national competition, the students had to answer questions about inflation, risk, budget management, and online security, among others, but not everything was easy - the questions about interest and insurance were the most difficult, they confess.

"The transmission of essential financial notions, which students can internalise, is always an added value for the formation of active and critical citizens before the reality that surrounds them, especially in a world where economic swings are increasingly frequent. Understanding the reasons why they occur and how they can be solved benefits decision making and behaviours", says Carlos Matias, the History teacher and Librarian who in the last four years has brought the European Money Quiz to the students of Sobreira School.

“I think this type of initiative can help us a lot, especially when we are older and have to deal with issues such as those addressed in the quiz," says Francisco who, apart from enjoying matters involving space, also plays for Sobreirense, the local football club. José, who likes to play chess and karate, believes that these initiatives should start even earlier, in the 2nd cycle, so that students could be even better prepared.

The Group of Schools of Rio Tinto, in Gondomar, came in 2nd place in the competition, followed by the Group of Schools Lã e Neve, in Covilhã, which took the 3rd place in the podium.

Around 40 schools and 80 students, from north to south of the country, were selected to compete in the EMQ National Final, which took place on 22 March and was broadcast live on the APB Youtube channel.

Francisco and José will now fly to Brussels for the European top finals, which will take place on 15 and 16 May and where they will play against the winners from 25 countries and try to bring to Portugal the title of European Financial Literacy Champions.

Created by the European Banking Federation (EBF) in 2018, the EMQ is a competition that aims to test the financial literacy knowledge of young Europeans aged between 13 and 15. For the sixth consecutive year, the APB, which is a member of the EBF, joins this initiative that in Portugal alone has already put more than 11,000 students playing the quiz.