By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
THE Ministry of Education, Science Vocational Training and Early Education  Minister has urged financial institutions to partner with the Government in providing financial skills to school-going children.
Minister Michael Kaingu said this is in an effort to equip children with entrepreneurship skills for the betterment of the country’s future economy.

. Kaingu

Mr Kaingu said that there was need for school going children to be equipped with personal financial management skills which will enable them set up companies thereby creating job opportunities in the country.
He said this in a speech read for him by his deputy David Mabumba during the launch of the Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS) ‘Baby Wallet’ savings promotion in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Kaingu said it was imperative that children were imparted with financial and entrepreneurship skills at a tender age.
“In this part of the world, its like when you finish school, you only want to be employed, why don’t you go and set up a company.
Because each one of us in here, if we are to become entrepreneurs, then the issue of unemployment will not be there,” Mr Kaingu said.
At the same occasion, Bank of Zambia (BoZ) director non-bank financial institutions
supervision Visscher Bbuku said the future of Zambia’s economy would be in jeopardy if tomorrow’s adults had no ability to manage their own finances.
“Financial education is every child’s right and skills to earn, save and budget should be taught to everyone, even children.
“Clearly young people are financially vulnerable, they need proper financial education and they do not always have access to financial services, this is not a children’s problem but the world,” he said.
ZNBS managing director Joseph Chikolwe said the institution developed the product with particular interest in children because they believe that building financial awareness at a tender age is empowering the future generations with tools that would aid financial independence and economic development.