Over 6,500 high school students from across the country participated in the 2012-2013 edition of the MoneySense financial education programme, run by RBS Romania, out of which more than 150 enrolled in the national contest organised by the bank in partnership with the Romanian Centre for Education and Economic Development (C.R.E.D.E. Foundation). The students benefited from classes and seminars which helped them develop their knowledge and financial abilities and learnt the best methods to efficiently handle their own financial resources.
The members of the 30 teams enrolled in the MoneySense contest were coordinated by teachers and underwent four competition trials, which challenged both their knowledge gained during the programme and their age-specific creativity. In the first stage, the students presented themselves using songs, short videos, pictures or presentations full of imagination and explained what motivated them to participate in the contest and why they think they deserve to win. For the second and third trials, the students used ingenious methods to promote the MoneySense programme among colleagues from other classrooms, teachers or even kindergarten children. Raising the budget needed for promotion challenged the students’ creativity, some of them resorting to their own savings or to their parents’ money, and others even managing to raise funds from a small business. As regards their plans for the future, most students wish to study abroad or to start their own business in various fields, from coffee shops to beauty salons or IT companies.
“Our financial education programme is already at the fourth edition and we are glad to see more and more high school students interested in financial and banking education. The creativity and determination they proved in completing all the tasks of the contest show the high level of involvement of the students in extra-curricular projects and the capability of the new generation to adapt to changes.
The financial education remains a priority for our corporate responsibility policy, this programme being our main contribution to the development of a sustainable society in Romania,” said Henk Paardekooper, President of RBS Romania.
“Since its launch in 2009, MoneySense has enjoyed the appreciation of both the direct beneficiaries – students and teachers enrolled in the programme, and the other authorities – representatives of the school inspectorates or principals of the participating high schools. The RBS MoneySense programme has aimed at bringing a contribution to the financial education of individuals in Romania and to encourage a responsible attitude in financial decision making. The objectives of this programme were to provide information on managing personal finances, calculating a personal budget or financial products and services. These objectives coincide with those of the C.R.E.D.E. Foundation, so that we got involved together with the bank in implementing MoneySense in the Romanian high schools,” declared Adriana Bostina, Executive Director of C.R.E.D.E. Foundation.
Students from 69 high schools across the country have completed the four financial education modules during which they had access to information on personal finance management, on the way a bank operates, but also on aspects regarding the start-up, lending and management of a business, under the guidance of more than 90 teachers from all over the country.
The winners of the 2013 edition of the MoneySense contest are:
“Mega Max” team from the “Gheorghe Chitu” National Economic College in Craiova, coordinating teacher Nicoleta Mihai – 1st prize
“Zbor de Paun” team from the “Tiberiu Popoviciu” Computer Science High School in Cluj-Napoca, coordinating teacher Lucia Gogea Gyongyike – 2nd prize
“Money Savers” team from the Higher Commercial School “Nicolae Kretzulescu” in Bucharest, coordinating teacher Maria Vasilescu – 3rd prize
“Six Dollars” team from the “Apaczai Csere Janos” High School in Cluj-Napoca, coordinating teacher Eva Palfi Hajnalka – special prize
The MoneySense programme provides access to free and impartial financial assistance and education services to the general public. RBS Bank (Romania) S.A. is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and has a business strategy of focusing on serving premium international and large local corporate and institutional clients by offering competitive products in Transaction Services and Global Markets. The bank has been present on the Romanian market since 1995, being one of the first foreign banks to operate in Romania..