More than 800 students from schools across Cyprus participated in a series of lectures and talks organised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), aimed at enhancing financial literacy among school-age children.

The lectures, which concluded on Thursday, were presented by CySEC officials to students at 17 primary schools, high schools, and lyceums as part of the 2024 World Investor Week.

This follows a similar programme in March 2024, which took place at nine schools.

The commission said that financial education for the youth is increasingly recognised as a fundamental life skill.

It cited recent research which showed that only 36.9 per cent of young people aged 18-24 possess sufficient financial knowledge.

The talks focused on developing responsible money management skills, investor protection, and raising awareness about the risks associated with “finfluencers” on social media platforms.

Moreover, students, teachers, and school administrators “expressed great satisfaction with the content and praised CySEC for this initiative”.

CySEC chairman George Theocharides stated that the commission continues to contribute to the financial education of the younger generation.

“It is important for children to learn money management, saving, and budgeting skills from an early age,” he said.

“These skills provide a solid foundation for managing finances responsibly in the future and contribute to greater financial independence later in life, reducing the risk of falling victim to exploitation or fraud as future investors,” he added.

CySEC also highlighted that investor education and protection is a strategic priority, offering educational materials and financial literacy guides through its financial education portal.

Furthermore, CySEC contributes to the implementation of the national strategy to strengthen financial literacy in Cyprus.

World Investor Week is a global initiative of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), aiming to raise awareness of the importance of investor education and protection and to showcase initiatives by securities regulators in these critical areas.