Education
February 4, 2013

Mobile App to Help Students Learn to Manage Finances

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education, was at Holy Heart High School in St. John’s this morning (Monday, February 4) for the launch of the FYI Expense Tracker, a mobile web-based application that encourages financial literacy, and will be used in the province’s Career Education curriculum.

The FYI Expense Tracker application was developed by Enactus Memorial (formerly known as Students in Free Enterprise, or SIFE), in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union.

“This application is designed to help students learn to prepare budgets, keep track of expenses, avoid large debt, and generally live within their means,” said Minister Jackman. “It will complement the existing career education curriculum by reinforcing the fundamentals of financial management – something we expect will benefit students far beyond their school years. It’s a great resource, and I encourage schools to use it as part of career education instruction.”

Linked to specific curriculum outcomes for the intermediate and senior high Career Education curriculum, the FYI Expense Tracker can also be viewed on computers, iPads, or interactive whiteboards in the classroom.

“The purpose of the Enactus Memorial FYI project is to encourage students to think seriously, and critically, about their financial futures,” said Jessica Fleming, project manager, Enactus Memorial. "The FYI Expense Tracker is a simple, user-friendly mobile web-based application that puts a new twist on teaching budgeting and financial literacy.”

The Provincial Government is committed to ensuring students have the necessary knowledge and skills to make effective post-secondary education and career decisions. Career Development 2201, a course required for high school graduation, provides information and skills to enable students to make informed decisions about their future careers. This year, a Career Development module was introduced at the intermediate level to help Grade 9 students begin planning their personal and career goals.

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2013 02 04                             9:20 a.m.