The Home Economics Seminar Centre (HESC) within the Directorate for Learning and Assessment Programmes organises several initiatives to promote awareness related to financial literacy, financial education, and financial inclusion. These efforts culminate during Global Money Week (GMW) which is aligned with European Money Week (EMW).

GMW is characterised by a series of financial education events planned by the Home Economics Seminar Centre in conjunction with the Malta Bankers’ Association (MBA) and with the support of other entities.

A financial literacy theme is launched every year, and this serves to tie all the projects and related activities for that Money Week. The 2022 theme for EMW was ‘Supercharging Financial Skills’ while the theme for the GMW was ‘Build your Future, be Smart about Money’.

The following events are organised during the GMW:

Another long-held activity of Money week is a ‘train-the-trainer’ event namely, a professional development training session for educators in line with the yearly theme. The training focuses on specific areas of interest for schoolteachers in relation to financial literacy. This year’s financial literacy webinar was titled ‘Strengthening Financial Capabilities in Schools’ and focused on consumer rights and responsibilities, cybercrime and cybersecurity, investments, life assurances and pension plans. This webinar aimed to strengthen financial capabilities in schools through the integration of financial education in different school subjects. The training is annually coordinated by the HESC and the MBA with the support of various organisations and entities. This year the training was held with the support of ĠEMMA, JAYE Malta Foundation, the Cybercrime Unit of the Malta Police Force, the Malta Financial Services Authority, the Malta Stock Exchange Institute, and a representative from the insurance sector.

Financial Educational Programmes facilitated during Money Week:

• The Be Wise, Pay Smart Programme targets vulnerable groups and features interactive educational sketches to encourage smart ways of paying.
• Be Money Smart is a newly launched HESC programme in collaboration with the Central Bank of Malta that aims to develop learners’ capabilities through budget planning, savings, bank services, counterfeiting and becoming critical consumers.

The challenge has been organised for the sixth consecutive time as part of the EMW and the GMW. The challenge aims to promote awareness related to financial capabilities.

• The HESC in collaboration with the MBA coordinated two different financial literacy challenges during the past two years targeting pupils in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 and students in Year 7 to Year 11.
• Both challenges are open to State, Church and Independent Schools as well as other sections, such as Learning Support centres.