High school students at Father Mercredi and Holy Trinity will soon be getting expanded lessons on financial planning.
The Fort McMurray Catholic School District has been working with Brian Wanner, a local financial planner with IG Private Wealth Management, for the better part of a year on updating the financial portion of their career life management course.
It’s offered to students in grade 11 and currently includes a small portion around money and budgeting.
Superintendent George McGuigan tells Mix News he believes improving the course will have a huge impact on students as they choose their path after high school.
“To go off to post-secondary in this day and age, a person needs to know how to budget, they need to know about debit and credit and how to set themselves up for the future.”
According to Wanner, the recommendations he’s suggesting come directly from the Canadian Foundation for Economics Education.
This includes budgeting, investing, borrowing money, spending on big purchases, and more.
Wanner is also providing high school students the book ‘Money and Youth,’ free of charge, which goes deeper into the world of financial planning.
“I feel like the value there is going to really help educate the youth of tomorrow which are future stewards of tomorrow.”
McGuigan notes they’re also in discussion with Wanner to distribute these books for those taking the course.
The FMCSD is hoping to have expanded lessons for students starting next school year.
As for the younger grades, the province’s new curriculum includes introducing some courses to elementary school students.
The district isn’t piloting the new curriculum for the upcoming school year, however, McGuigan believes introducing financial learning at a younger age could be a possibility down the road.
“It can be introduced in pieces at the appropriate grade, the maturity of the student. It never hurts to have that information in your back pocket as you move through life,” added McGuigan.
Meanwhile, the Fort McMurray Public School Division has met once with Wanner to discuss updating financial learning.
They note they plan on continuing to look into the matter ahead of the next school year.