DOHA: As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance students' financial knowledge and skills and expand their educational options, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education intends to include 'Financial Literacy'in the curriculum for eleventh and twelfth-grade students as an elective subject, starting from the first semester of the academic year 2024-25.
This initiative aims to spread financial awareness among students, teach them the ABCs and concepts of economics and financial accounting to manage their money effectively and enhance their ability to make sound investment decisions.
The financial literacy subject is designed to be optional within a range of available subjects, reflecting the Ministry's commitment to providing comprehensive and integrated education that keeps pace with contemporary economic developments.
The financial literacy course includes three main areas: Commerce, real estate, and investment. The student is expected to acquire multiple skills, including effective money management, drawing a financial plan, and developing a budget that helps him achieve financial goals efficiently. This literature will contribute to the graduation of qualified and specialized cadres, which constitute a qualitative addition to the labour market in Qatar.
Director of the Curriculum and Learning Resources Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr Abdullah Al Marri commented: "The Ministry is working to enable teachers to teach financial literacy. It will implement an integrated training plan to enable teachers to deal with curricula related to this field efficiently and competently. In addition, teachers will have training on how to use a teacher guide for the financial culture that includes the latest strategies, teaching methods, and aids, which will make it easier for the teacher to provide lessons easily."
Dr Al Marri also pointed out that there are specific assessment plans to measure students' knowledge of this subject, including assessments, written tests, homework, research projects, and presentations. These assessments help to measure their ability to apply this information in practical and realistic contexts. Since the subject is included in the student's grade, the student's performance will directly impact his final total grade, indicating the importance of this subject and motivating students to take it seriously.
This initiative is the fruit of cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Qatar Association of Certified Public Accountants. It aims to meet the needs of the labor market and use advanced educational expertise to prepare content.
Dr Al Marri added: "The Financial Literacy curriculum is closely aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030 objectives, especially about promoting environmental and social sustainability. It focuses on responsible consumption and ethical investment, effectively enhancing awareness of financial decisions. In addition, it plays an important role in establishing social cohesion, supporting inclusive growth, and building a balanced society characterized by a sustainable and prosperous economy."
It should be pointed out that the Ministry provides various electives in various fields, such as arts, languages, business administration, computing and information technology, and earth and environmental sciences. This diversity of electives enables students to develop various skills and knowledge that help them adapt to the requirements of a changing world and contribute to achieving the overall goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.
