FINANCIAL EDUCATION
On the occasion of financial education week which will take place from March 18 to 23, 2024 and at the initiative of Pixpay, France FinTech is publishing an open letter addressed to Mr. Gabriel Attal, Prime Minister, and to Ms. Nicole Belloubet, Minister of National Education and Youth, in order to alert the government to France's very significant delay in financial education.
France is late
If 81% of French people think that financial education should be taught at school, our children themselves are aware of the issue: 64% of 15-17 year olds want to better understand payment methods, credit, insurance, investments.
Meeting their legitimate expectations is naturally impossible in two hours.
The creation of the EDUCFI passport for 4th grade students – decided in 2016 as part of the national budgetary and financial economic education strategy and implemented in 2024 – is a significant first step. However, two hours of introduction to financial culture in a school does not provide students with sufficient background to understand the essential concepts.
The establishment of fun, short and regular financial education sequences would enable significant progress.
However, the positive effects of financial education are multiple. Promoting financial education responds to a triple social, economic and environmental challenge.
Promoting financial education is imperative to reduce inequalities:
- Inequalities of opportunity
- Gender inequalities
Better financial education is a key lever for acting in favor of certain economic issues:
- Reduce insecurity linked to over-indebtedness
- Take up the subject of pensions
- Improving mental health by acting on financial well-being
Better financial education is an opportunity to contribute to growth. Finally, financial education can also make its contribution to the just and sustainable transition.
