Rolling out: (From fifth left) Saraswathy, Wong, Muhammad Zahran and Ngeow with other stakeholders at the launch.
EARNING, saving, spending and donating may sound simple, but these are four key money concepts that many struggle with.
The recently launched Cha-Ching On the Go programme aims to address this by equipping primary schoolchildren with these concepts, with the inaugural phase set to reach 17,400 children across Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
Seeking to make financial education engaging and accessible, the programme – organised by Prudence Foundation and Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad (PAMB) in collaboration with non-governmental organisation Pertubuhan Kebajikan Dana Kita – features a roadshow where the Cha-Ching On the Go truck, as well as the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Jelajah Ilmu truck and Mobile Lab bus, will visit targeted schools and residential areas.
Through interactive activities and games that spark curiosity, the new phase – an extension of the original Cha-Ching programme developed by the Prudence Foundation in 2011 – takes learning beyond the classroom setting to ensure that children in underserved communities have greater opportunities to acquire essential money management skills.
In its first year, the initiative will be implemented across 30 government primary schools and 12 People’s Housing Programme (PPR) communities in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
Speaking at the launch, Deputy National Unity Minister Saraswathy Kandasami highlighted the impact of multi-stakeholder collaboration in nurturing a financially literate, resilient and inclusive generation.
“When government, corporates and NGOs join forces, we not only strengthen national policies, but also bring real change to communities,” she said.
Pertubuhan Kebajikan Dana Kita treasurer Muhammad Zahran Yaacob said education is key to breaking cycles of poverty, and financial literacy is an important part of that.
“Many of the children we work with have never been exposed to basic money management concepts.
“This programme allows us to give them not just the tools to manage their finances, but also the confidence to dream bigger and make better choices for their future,” he said in an Aug 27 press release.
PAMB chief marketing & partnerships distribution officer Eric Wong said every child deserves to learn financial literacy, just like reading, writing and numeracy.
Prudence Foundation executive director Nicole Ngeow said by introducing basic money management concepts to children in an interactive way, a future generation of financially savvy and responsible individuals can be nurtured.
Over the next year, PAMB aims to expand the programme nationwide, ensuring children from diverse backgrounds gain essential money management skills from an early age, according to the press release.
Cha-Ching, developed in partnership with Cartoon Network, teaches children aged seven to 12 key money concepts through animated videos and experiential modules, with supporting materials for teachers and parents.
The Cha-Ching Curriculum, with structured lessons, has been implemented in schools since 2014. To date, it has trained 3,851 teachers and reached 283,250 students across the country.
