Boosting Financial Skills in Schools
South Canterbury teachers are taking a proactive step toward strengthening financial education in the region, following a well-attended workshop hosted by the Aoraki Foundation Financial Literacy Fund (FLF) on Wednesday, 3 June.
Held at Fraser Park, the event brought together 45 primary school teachers from across South Canterbury, all focused on improving financial education outcomes for students in Years 4 to 8.
The workshop was organised by the FLF committee, made up of Kylie Connor, Steve Fennessy, Nicky Browne and Richard Spackman. The group shared the story behind the fund, which was established to support financial education initiatives for local tamariki and rangatahi.
One of the key challenges identified by the committee is the overwhelming number of financial education tools available to schools. Rather than leaving each school to navigate these choices independently, the fund has taken a coordinated approach, selecting a single platform to build shared knowledge and capability across the region.
A pilot programme conducted last year across two local primary schools trialled several applications designed to help teach financial skills. From this, Banqer – a leading digital financial education platform – was selected as the preferred option. Banqer is designed to help students learn how money works in a practical, hands-on way. It creates a simulated economy in the classroom where students can earn income, pay expenses, save, and make spending decisions using virtual money. Through this, they learn key financial skills such as budgeting, saving, goal setting, and understanding income and costs.
To launch the fund, a community event last year raised more than $20,000 through the generosity of individuals like Cara and John Gregan and businesses such as Mike Pero Mortgages. That support has already translated into tangible outcomes for local schools.
Since then, the FLF has supported the rollout of Banqer in South Canterbury secondary schools. FLF chair Kylie Connor said she has been delighted by the strong uptake.
“We’ve been incredibly encouraged by how quickly South Canterbury schools have embraced this opportunity,” Connor said. “The vast majority of our local secondary schools are now using Banqer, which shows a real commitment to equipping young people with the skills they need for life.
“Through our grants and the existing Kiwibank support, 892 secondary students across South Canterbury will be using Banqer this year.”
Primary schools already benefit from free access to Banqer through a nationwide support by Kiwibank. The challenge for primary schools is building teaching capability and finding space in an already busy timetable. This is where the workshop played an important role, providing teachers with the knowledge, tools and confidence to deliver financial education in the classroom.
A highlight of the workshop was a presentation by Angela Caves, Banqer’s Partnerships Lead, who travelled from Christchurch to speak to attendees. She outlined recent changes to the New Zealand curriculum, which now includes financial education, which will be compulsory for Years 0 to 10 from 2027.
Caves said South Canterbury’s coordinated approach was setting a strong example nationally.
“What’s happening here is really special,” she said. “Through the Aoraki Foundation, South Canterbury is leading the way with a true community-wide approach to financial education. It’s not just individual schools working in isolation, it’s a region coming together to build capability and consistency.”
Teachers also heard from Beaconsfield School Deputy Principal Hayden Inkster, who shared his firsthand experience using Banqer in the classroom over several years. He explained how he integrates Banqer into his timetable and the positive feedback received from students. He highlighted its dual benefits, not only improving students’ understanding of financial concepts but also serving as an effective behavioural management tool through virtual rewards.
The event concluded with an opportunity for teachers to connect with the fund’s supporters, giving donors valuable insight into the realities of teaching financial literacy and the challenges schools face.
The workshop underscored the power of community collaboration. By aligning resources, investing in teachers and providing consistent tools, the Financial Literacy Fund is helping to equip South Canterbury’s young people with skills to manage money well, benefiting them for years to come.