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Learning through play, primary school students no longer find "money management" boring. Today (14 January), over 200 primary school students and their parents joined a Game Day and Prize Presentation Ceremony organised by the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA). Through a series of parenting games, workshops, talks and sharing sessions, participants learnt more about money management and developing a proper attitude towards saving.

Today's event was the grand finale of the youth programme Pioneer Your Future, launched this academic year and designed to help primary school students develop financial literacy. Both parents and their children had great fun at the event, playing games at more than 10 booths and learning about the four basic concepts of money management: working, spending, saving and donating.

After the games, the MPFA invited Tracy Leung, a veteran youth social worker, Eddie Lam, an expert on children financial education, and Mak Cheung-ching, an artiste and father, to share with parents their valuable experience and tips on teaching children how to develop a proper attitude towards money management. They also provided ideas to help parents tackle difficulties with their children's financial education.

Social workers from the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Healthy Budgeting Family Debt Counselling Centre were also at the event and explained to the children in simple language the money management concepts behind the games. The children also participated in workshops that involved designing and creating their own piggy banks, with the aim of encouraging them to develop good saving habits.

"Saving is the first lesson in acquiring financial literacy," said MPFA Chief Operating Officer (Enforcement) Hendena Yu at the ceremony. "We hope that these young people will understand the importance of saving for their future, and will be able to work out a practical and effective savings plan, and appropriate money management goals. Parents play a significant role in their children's financial education. They should set a good example and act as a role model for their children by properly managing their wealth and MPF investments."

The MPFA has organized this financial educational programme for primary school students across Hong Kong for three consecutive years. This year's programme comprised three major components:

(1) The MPFA produced task books which contain interesting comics to facilitate students' understanding of money management fundamentals. The MPFA produced 80,000 task books, which were delivered to more than 160 primary schools, representing over 30% of local primary schools.

(2) The MPFA organised a drawing/writing competition, in which participating students, after reading the comics, shared their saving goals and tips on money management through creative drawings and writing. The competition received a good response, attracting about 8,000 participants.

(3) The MPFA invited students with outstanding submissions in the competition, together with their parents, to join the parenting Game Day and Prize Presentation Ceremony held today. A number of prizes were awarded at the ceremony to winning students and to the most supportive schools: i.e. those which submitted the most entries in the programme.

The MPFA organises various financial education programmes for students of kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary institutions. The programmes are intended both to help young people recognise the importance of saving and planning for their future, and to disseminate MPF messages to them and their family members.

Winners of the MPFA youth programme Pioneer Your Future and the Game Day share their enjoyment of the day's activities with guests.

MPFA Chief Operating Officer (Enforcement) Hendena Yu presents prizes to winning primary school students.

Children demonstrate their creativity designing unique piggy banks.

- Ends -

14 January 2012