Quebec aims to improve financial literacy with new high school course

Quebec's education minister wants to make sure students graduate from high schoolwith a grasp of how to manage their personal finances.

Sbastien Proulxplans to introduce a mandatory economics course starting in September 2017.

The course will focus on financial literacy, addressing issues such ascredit scores, loans, making a budget and signing a cell phone contract, Proulxsaid.

"We need to make sure our youth have access to a financial education," he said.

Proulx said he's still working out how the course will be incorporated into the curriculum. Itwill require making some adjustments, he said.

Earlier,Proulx's spokeswoman,Marie Deschamps,said the ministerwas committed to making the course at least an elective by next fall.

A mandatory economicscoursewas eliminated in 2009.

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'Tough ... to make wise decisions'

Jennifer Maccarone, whochairsthe SirWilfridLaurier School Board, told CBC Montreal's Daybreak she's happy to hear a personal financecourse is in the worksbut addedthatschool boards should be consulted.

Community members have been asking for a course that helps students manage their finances, she said.

"We applaud the effort.The concern comes from the fact that no information has been disseminated to the school boards," saidMaccarone.

Maccarone wants to make sure the curriculum isa good fit for students. She also questioned whatwould need to be changedto fit an economics course into the school day if it's made mandatory.

Brian Smith, vice-president forthe Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, welcomedthe idea.

He said studentsleaving high school face a lot of challenges when it comes to finances.

"It's very, very tough for a youth growing up today to make wise decisions," he said.