The Need for Financial Literacy in Mexico, Particularly in Vulnerable Socioeconomic Contexts: Opening Curriculum Conversations

• In Event: 25.085 - Sheraton Roundtable One - Osgoode Ballroom
  In Roundtable Session: 25.085-2 - Economies of Curriculum

Abstract

In the Mexican economic context, poverty, informality, indebtedness and lack of savings predominate (SHCP, CNBV and INEGI, 2012). Despite these, finances are not part of the official curriculum in formal education in Mexico (SEP, 2016) and the topic has not been studied in the Mexican youth (Amezcua, Arroyo and Espinosa, 2014). With the aim of expanding the information available to improve financial education policies, the performance of 307 Mexican junior-high and high school students (154 men and 153 women, with an average age of 15.3 years) was quantitatively evaluated using a financial literacy test. Results show that not only the students’ performance was low, but also significant differences were found among students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

Authors

• Adriana Valencia, Tecnológico de Monterrey

• Ricardo Valenzuela, Tecnologico de Monterrey