Our teenage corresondent Olivia Harris takes a look at how young people might miss out on vital lessons in how to manage their money

As we approach the final few months of the year, for everyone, the challenges of gift-giving and important costs to pay are arising. This makes me think; are teenagers taught enough about basic finance and saving tips for the future?

We all learn a lot about Shakespeare, algebra and the beginning of life forms, but shouldn’t finance be one of the main priorities? With around 83% of us teenagers not knowing how to manage our money, it seems as if the education system is letting us down.

Unless we choose to take up finance at A-level, how to manage our money is a topic rarely spoken of within the classroom, and I think that this should change. Managing finances is a huge part of life, which would be much easier and simpler if we were introduced to the concept at a younger age.

How can the Government expect young adults to get onto the property ladder, if as a teenager they have learnt nothing about the way a mortgage works or the most suitable way to save for their aspirations? In 2021, surely the education system can realise that this kind of knowledge would be greatly beneficial to many students, whether it be helping them to save for university, saving to move out or even just managing wages from a part time job.

For myself, the way to manage my finances was never taught through secondary school learning but instead through family members and my own initiative to want to learn more. However, for those without that instant initiative, they may find themselves stuck in the near future, all due to the absence of this topic within the classroom.

Does your school ever make this topic a priority?