Over 7,000 Teachers Benefit From FINCO Financial Management Programme

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Bernama) -- The Train-the-Trainer (TTT): Personal Financial Management for Teachers programme, aimed at strengthening personal financial management practices, has benefited more than 7,000 government school teachers nationwide as of March this year.

Financial Industry Collective Outreach (FINCO), in a statement today, said data collected three months after the training showed significant behavioural improvements among participants.

It said 62 per cent of participants were saving more than 10 per cent of their monthly income, representing an increase of 24 per cent from the baseline data, while 58 per cent were saving or investing more than 10 per cent of their income for retirement, marking a 27 per cent increase.

“This achievement is in line with the national policy agenda under the National Strategy for Financial Literacy 2026–2030 (NFLS 2.0) and the Financial Inclusion Framework 2023–2026, particularly in enhancing financial decision-making capabilities, encouraging savings, strengthening retirement preparedness and building financial resilience,” read the statement.

Based on participant feedback, a teacher from Melaka, who declined to be identified, said the programme had allowed her to learn and share practical financial knowledge with colleagues, and encouraged her to organise more finance-related activities for students at school.

The TTT programme, led by the Financial Education Network (FEN), focuses on developing practical financial management skills that can create meaningful changes in participants’ lives.

The initiative was expanded to government school teachers nationwide beginning in October 2025 after 209 government school teachers and lecturers from the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM) completed training to become certified trainers between August and September last year.

Commenting on the programme’s impact, FINCO chief executive officer Clare Walker said teachers’ financial well-being plays a crucial role in their effectiveness in the classroom.

“Teachers are the backbone of the country’s education system, and their financial well-being directly affects their ability to focus fully in the classroom and inspire students.

“The response from teachers, as well as their acceptance and application of the knowledge gained throughout the programme, proves the importance of practical financial education initiatives like this,” she said.

Meanwhile, FINCO chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim said collaboration within the financial industry is essential to achieving sustainable impact, as the sector also has a social responsibility to improve financial literacy nationwide.

“Partners in the financial sector play an important role not only in financing but also in sharing expertise to ensure the programme content remains relevant, accurate and impactful.

“The synergy between the education and financial sectors is crucial in fostering a culture of prudent financial management among teachers and, subsequently, their students,” he said.

The TTT programme is implemented through industry collaboration coordinated by FINCO, involving participation from AmBank Group, Bank Muamalat Malaysia, Bank Simpanan Nasional, Yayasan CIMB, Hong Leong Bank, Public Bank, RHB Bank, FWD Insurance and Sea Ltd.

-- BERNAMA