Benjamin urges teachers to pay more attention to their wealth management

National Mathematics Coordinator Dr Tameka Benjamin is encouraging teachers to work towards becoming more financially literate this year and to use that power to boost their earnings.

Speaking at the Scotia Group Personal Financial Management Workshop for Public Sector Workers & Teachers at the AC Marriott Hotel in St Andrew on Thursday, Benjamin supported a call from Perrin Gayle, head of retail banking and small business for Scotiabank, for educators to create additional income streams of income.

Benjamin said that by incorporating financial literacy into the curriculum, teachers can guide students in developing a culture of making sound financial decisions while avoiding debt traps and building a strong foundation.

“It’s unfortunate that financial literacy is often overlooked in our education system, and so many Jamaicans, including our teachers, are ill-equipped to handle their own finances,” Benjamin said.

“Our teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the minds and futures of our youth. They’re not only responsible for imparting knowledge, but also for instilling values and helping them to develop life skills that will guide them towards their own success,” she said.

Benjamin said that the Ministry of Education and Youth is committed to ensuring that Jamaican students are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in an ever-changing world. But, she further argued, teachers need to know more about financial literacy themselves to be able to pass on that knowledge.

EFFECTIVE ROLE MODELS

“We can’t expect our teachers to teach what they don’t know, and that’s why initiatives such as this seminar cushion them as they will provide teachers with the knowledge [and] the resources that they need for their own personal benefit, but also to help them to be effective role models and mentors for students,” she said.

Benjamin said that financial literacy is not just about managing wealth, but also empowering individuals to make informed decisions, plan for the future, and to help them achieve financial security.

She commended the seminar host, Scotiabank, on achieving a milestone of 134 years operating in Jamaica and thanked the institution for its commitment to empowering educators.

For his part, Gayle said that at Scotiabank, they believe dreams are boundless and that great things can come from even the most humble beginnings with proper planning, diligence and knowledge.

In addition, he noted that Scotiabank has invested in the Jamaican education system beyond just giving sound financial advice, but by changing lives through the Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation, the Scotiabank Women Initiative, and the Scotiabank Vision Achiever Programme.

“Scotiabank’s vision is far greater than corporate success. We embrace our responsibility to be a beacon of positive change in our community and our country. For us, being a good corporate citizen is a fundamental part of our identity,” Gayle said.

“It is the very embodiment of our core values and this commitment is manifested through our unwavering dedication to giving back to our communities and our countries through events such as this one,” he said.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com