The
interactive session equipped the pupils with skills for making informed and
effective decisions on the use and management of money.
Tagged
Financial Literacy Day, the event, which held at Dutse Commercial Secondary
School, Takur, Jigawa State, at the instance of the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN), was part of activities lined up to celebrate the annual Global Money
Week.
In his
speech, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sterling Bank, Mr. Abubakar
Suleiman, said the bank chose to train the pupils to shape their thinking and
expose them to important financial lessons needed to beat future economic
challenges.
The CEO,
who was represented by the North-West Regional Manager of the bank, Mr. Ibrahim
Salihi, said the one-day training was also aimed at helping the pupils better
understand the importance of savings and investments.
“We are
optimistic that if the pupils can understand the importance of savings and
investments at a young age, they would grow into adults who can achieve
financial security and success,” he said.
Salihi, who
facilitated the training, said, “It is crucial to prepare young people to
manage their finances before reaching adulthood. Sterling Bank is committed to
financial literacy for primary and secondary school pupils because the
financial marketplace is becoming increasingly complex. And teaching young
people to manage their finances should be a national priority.”
He
emphasised the need for anyone who wants to save money to carefully select
recognised financial institutions and advised the pupils to avoid dealing with
shadowy institutions.
“Financial
discipline guides an individual to spend what he earned, and his spending
should not exceed his earnings. This is first the step for one to be able to
save and use the savings for investments.”
He also
highlighted the need for the pupils and the general public to embrace digital
literacy as the global economy and social life are now operated on digital
platforms. “Learning how to use the computer and other basic information and
communication technology tools is almost compulsory for any businessman or
service provider that needs to compete in local and international markets.”
Salihi
reminded the pupils that Sterling Bank has chosen them to be agents of
spreading financial literacy and urged them to share the knowledge they have
learned with their friends, siblings and immediate communities.
He also
enlightened the participants about the numerous opportunities offered by
Sterling Bank to pupils, parents, teachers and schools to achieve their
aspirations.
In his
remarks, the Director Dutse Commercial Secondary School, Takur, Jigawa State,
Malam Abdulmumini Jibrin expressed gratitude to the management of Sterling Bank
for choosing the school for the training.
He noted
that going by the responses from the pupils, it showed that the lecture had
opened their minds and shaped their thinking on financial discipline, savings,
and investments.
The
director expressed the readiness of the school to continue collaborating with
the bank to promote financial literacy and academic excellence.