BOJ to launch finance-based game for children
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Bank of Jamaica will launch an online financial educational game in April, targeting students in grades four to six at the primary level.
“It will blend financial knowledge, academic concepts and problem solving with adventure and make the learning of these financial concepts fun and memorable. The PEP [Primary Exit Profile] syllabus was incorporated in this game,” said Head of the Financial Inclusion Unit, Dr Andre Murray.
He was addressing the BOJ’s Quarterly Monetary Policy Report press conference at the BOJ auditorium in downtown Kingston on Tuesday.
Murray said the hope is that the game will be engaging and interactive and transform learning into a dynamic and enjoyable experience.
“We’ve had beta testing with schools from around the country. We’re trying to leverage the power of play, help children to develop these habits, confidence and financial skills that will serve them for life,” he said.
Murray reasoned that by introducing financial education at the primary level, the central bank is helping to cultivate a generation of Jamaicans that understand money management as a life skill and not merely as a subject area.
“Can you imagine a Jamaica where every child grows up understanding money, not with fear but with curiosity, with confidence and with control? This is the start of a generation that we want to build,” he shared.
Murray noted that Money Quest, along with the televised series Common Cents, is part of a larger mission to strengthen financial capability, expand access and build trust in Jamaica’s financial system.
“When people understand money, they make better and stronger choices. When families thrive, the economy grows and when citizens are confident, the nation becomes more resilient,” he said.
Money Quest was developed by Database Technologies Limited.
— JIS