The qualitative research sponsored by the Edufin Committee was presented on the opening day of Global Money Week 2026
Rome, 17 March 2026. Financial education is considered an essential subject by upper secondary school teachers in order to develop informed citizens. This is the key finding of the Second Report on Financial Education in Italian Schools, produced by the Committee for the Planning and Coordination of Financial Education Activities (Edufin Committee) through a series of focus groups involving upper secondary school teachers from across Italy.
The Report was presented today in Rome at the conference “Financial Education in Schools: Students, Teachers, Institutions”, organised by IVASS and the Edufin Committee at the Bank of Italy’s “Carlo Azeglio Ciampi” Conference Centre, to mark the opening of Global Money Week 2026, the international week dedicated to financial education for young people promoted by the OECD.
The event opened at 9:30 a.m. with greetings from the Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, and the President of IVASS and Director General of the Bank of Italy, Luigi Federico Signorini. IVASS Secretary General Ida Mercanti presented the insurance education initiatives organised by IVASS, including the new video lessons, the Teacher’s Guides and the Educational Workbooks, which are available online free of charge in the #imparaconivass section.
The Director of the Edufin Committee, Donato Masciandaro, then presented the main findings of the survey. A discussion followed, with contributions from Magda Bianco (Bank of Italy), Stefano Cappiello (Ministry of Economy and Finance), Francesca Carbone (Ministry of Education and Merit), Nadia Linciano (CONSOB) and Mariacristina Rossi (COVIP). The discussion was moderated and concluded by Maddalena Rabitti, IVASS Board Member.
The Second Report on Financial Education in Schools.
The Second Report on Financial Education in Schools is a qualitative study based on four focus groups conducted with secondary school teachers from across Italy. The teachers interviewed unanimously acknowledged that financial education is a fundamental subject for developing informed citizens, in line with Law No. 21 of 5 March 2024, which introduced its compulsory teaching in schools. The objective, which is shared by the teachers, is to equip young people with the tools they need to manage their financial resources responsibly, understand the value of saving, protect themselves from online scams, and approach their future careers with awareness.
Teachers express concern about the low baseline levels of financial literacy among young people, who are exposed on a daily basis to promises of easy money conveyed via social media and influencers. In particular, students from more disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds are more vulnerable to such influences.
In this context, the topics that generate the greatest interest among students are those most closely related to their daily lives: digital payments, crypto-assets and protection against online scams. In contrast, topics such as pensions and insurance – although strategic – remain on the periphery of mainstream education.
According to the focus group participants, financial education lessons are prepared by teachers largely on their own, drawing on materials available online. The methods that achieve the best results are experiential and interactive approaches: business planning simulations, role-playing games, class debates and gamification activities. Traditional classroom lectures are less effective at capturing students’ attention.
The research also reveals the main needs of teachers. Firstly, flexible training programmes, both in-person and online, accompanied by ideas and practical examples that are ready to be used in the classroom. Secondly, teaching materials tailored to age group, area of study and subject taught. Teachers also request clear guidance on the core subject areas, including a glossary and practical suggestions to enable them to use the 4–5 hours per year allocated to financial education as part of citizenship education as effectively as possible.
The First Report on Financial Education in Italian Schools – a quantitative survey – was presented at the end of Financial Education Month 2025. For further details, please visit the page: Financial education is being introduced in two out of three schools, with technical institutes leading the way.
Notes for the preparation of the report
The Second Report on Financial Education in Italian Schools was produced by the Edufin Committee’s Data Mining Panel, in collaboration with SWG. The qualitative research is based on four online focus groups conducted with upper secondary school teachers selected from the country’s four main geographical areas (North-West, North-East, Centre, South and Islands), resulting in a total of 23 participants with diverse profiles in terms of gender, age, type of school and subject taught. The report was approved by the Edufin Committee’s Data Mining Panel on 3 March 2026.
Global Money Week is the international campaign promoted by the OECD to raise awareness among children and young people about the importance of financial education. The theme of this year’s edition is “Smart money talks”. Each year, it engages institutions, schools and organisations, with the aim of promoting informed financial decisions and developing skills that will be useful in the future. Since 2012, the event has engaged over 70 million young people in 176 countries. In Italy, the organisation and coordination of activities are entrusted to the Committee for the Planning and Coordination of Financial Education Activities.
The Committee for the Planning and Coordination of Financial Education Activities is responsible for planning and promoting financial awareness and education initiatives aimed at measurably improving skills in the areas of savings, investments, pensions and insurance. The Committee, established within the Department of the Treasury and currently chaired by Professor Donato Masciandaro, comprises the following members: Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Education and Merit, Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, Bank of Italy, CONSOB, COVIP, IVASS, OCF, and the National Council of Consumers and Users.
