Financial literacy in school education

Scope

The course equips lower and upper secondary school teachers with the knowledge and practical methods to integrate financial literacy into their teaching. It addresses everyday money decisions, budgeting, saving, spending, borrowing and digital financial safety, helping teachers develop activities that strengthen students’ critical thinking, financial wellbeing and resilience. 

Participants explore how to teach financial concepts through realistic scenarios, discussion, simple simulations and accessible digital tools. Selected FINMAN+ scenarios and reflection questions are used in English translation and adapted for school contexts. Teachers experience activities as learners before redesigning them for their own subjects and age groups, building towards a classroom lesson they can implement after the course. 

ECVET points: 3.5

Target groups 

• Teachers in lower and upper secondary education, including vocational secondary schools 

• Teachers of mathematics, languages, citizenship, social sciences, economics and ICT 

• School leaders and coordinators supporting cross-curricular learning and life skills 

• Staff developing school learning materials and supporting student wellbeing 

No specialist knowledge of economics or finance is required. Participants should have basic computer, browser and email skills and bring their own laptop. 

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the training course, the participant is expected to: 

• Explain basic financial concepts using examples appropriate for lower and upper secondary students 

• Integrate financial literacy into existing subjects and cross-curricular school activities 

• Design budgeting and saving activities that help students compare priorities and respond to unexpected costs 

• Teach students to compare prices, recognise spending pressures and understand the total cost of borrowing 

• Use simple examples to explain inflation and the relationship between financial risk and potential return 

• Develop activities on digital payments, online scams and critical evaluation of financial information 

• Adapt FINMAN+ scenarios and reflection questions to students’ ages, learning needs and social contexts 

• Use accessible digital tools to create activities and assess financial understanding through reasoning, reflection and feedback

Methodology

The training combines short explanations with scenario-based learning, guided digital workshops and peer exchange. Each topic links financial understanding with practical classroom teaching. 

• Interactive presentations: Clear explanations and everyday examples introduce financial concepts and approaches to teaching them. 

• Scenario-based learning with FINMAN+: Selected stories on budgeting, technology purchases and online financial information are explored through decisions, calculations and guided discussion. 

• Guided digital workshops: Participants use Google Slides, Sheets and Forms to create sorting activities, simple budgets, purchase comparisons and quizzes. Ready-made templates support participants with limited spreadsheet experience. 

• Age-appropriate adaptation: Teachers simplify scenarios for lower secondary students and extend them for upper secondary students, adjusting vocabulary, calculations and decision complexity. 

• Reflection on financial attitudes: Selected FINMAN+ questions stimulate discussion of habits, emotions and peer influence. Reflection on attitudes is kept separate from assessment of financial knowledge. 

• Inclusive classroom practice: Activities use fictional financial data and recognise differences in available resources, without requiring students to disclose family finances or assigning fixed financial personality labels. 

• Microteaching and peer feedback: Participants deliver a short activity in small groups, review its clarity and educational value, and refine their lesson for classroom use. 

Digital activities use basic free features. Financial examples use hypothetical amounts and assumptions. Participants develop educational activities about informed choices and financial consequences, with opportunities for discussion and reflection.

Thematic units 

• Financial literacy foundations and cross-curricular teaching 

• Money habits, needs, wants and everyday decisions 

• Budgeting, saving, financial wellbeing and resilience 

• Smart spending, borrowing, inflation and financial risk 

• Digital money, online safety and financial information literacy 

• Financial citizenship, public services and responsible consumption 

• Adapting FINMAN+ resources, assessing learning and designing classroom lessons

Learning material

The learning material consists of presentations and support material in English language. 

Cost

Tuition fee: 400 euro per person  

The cost includes the learning material and the certificates: Certificate of completion, Europass Certificate Supplement, Europass Mobility.
The cost can be funded by Erasmus+ programme KA1 mobility of staff. 

Cultural activities (optional)

Includes: 

• A walking tour of Piraeus and welcome dinner,  

Indicative menu: Cretan salad, zucchini fritters, sausage, cretan grilled cheese, cretan meat balls, pork slow roasted in the oven with sauce and herbs, served with mashed potatoes flavoured with mushroom truffle, traditional cretan pasta,  dessert, wine / raki

PRICE per person: 27 euros (beer or other drinks are not covered, except those mentioned above) 

• A guided tour of Athens, visit to Archaeological sites,  

It includes: The Acropolis hill, Parthenon, the historical  area of Plaka & Monastiraki: 3 hours guided tour
COST: 180€ divided by the number of participants. No transport costs or entrance ticket to Acropolis Hill are included. 

• A common dinner in Athens,  

Indicative menu: Feta wrapped with honey and sesame, greek salad, black eyed peas, octopus, calamari, cod croquettes, chicken strips, burger patties, orzotto with vegetables, wine and refreshments 

PRICE per person: 30 euros (beer or other drinks are not covered, except those mentioned above) 

The restaurants and menu may change depending on the availability and time of the year and the weather conditions.

The cost of local transportation and the entrance fees to sites and museums are not included.

Training sessions

Further information

Lila Anthopoulou, tel: +30 2104286227, e-mail: lila@idec.gr