Unprecedented initiative with representation from the Bank of Portugal, CMVM and the Government aims to improve young people’s financial education

An unprecedented initiative in Portugal is taking ministers and officials from regulatory bodies into schools, with the aim of strengthening financial literacy among young people. The project includes the participation of the Bank of Portugal, the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) and members of the Government, seeking to bring students closer to essential concepts for responsible money management from an early age.

The initiative is part of a broader national strategy to promote financial education, recognising that many economic decisions with lifelong impact begin to take shape during school years. Topics such as saving, personal budgeting, credit, investment and financial risks are addressed in a practical manner, using everyday examples familiar to students to facilitate understanding.

For the entities involved, this initiative is particularly relevant in a context of increasing complexity of financial products and greater exposure of families to credit and financial markets. The Bank of Portugal and the CMVM argue that a more financially informed population is better prepared to make informed decisions, prevent situations of over-indebtedness and identify inappropriate financial practices.

The direct involvement of ministers and regulators sends a strong institutional signal regarding the importance of financial literacy. By bringing these figures into classrooms, the Government aims to highlight this area as an essential competence for economic citizenship. The expectation is that the programme will help to form more responsible, critical and better prepared young people to face future financial challenges.