
Young investor programme in UAE to teach key financial skills to 75,000 school students
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In a bid to incorporate essential financial skills such as diligent saving, budgeting and strategic investing into young students from an early age, companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have launched a new initiative. With an aim to reach 50 schools and impact 75,000 students across the Emirates, The ' Young Investor Programme ' was launched by National Bonds, a Shari'a-compliant savings and investment company, in collaboration with the Knowledge Fund Establishment.The programme blends classroom-based learning with immersive, real-life training, offering students a unique and interactive pathway to understanding personal finance. It initially targeted students in Grades 5 and 6.The curriculum under this initiative introduces fundamental financial concepts in a simplified manner to create an impact, according to The Khaleej Times. Meanwhile older students in Grades 11 and 12 also benefitted from hands-on workshops hosted at National Bonds' headquarters.These sessions dive deep into topics of critical importance, including budgeting, investment planning, market research, data analysis, and essential communication skills, providing participants with a crucial behind-the-scenes perspective on the workings of financial services and bridging theoretical knowledge with practical career exposure.The curriculum has six core modules: Money Management, Payment Systems, Loans and Debts, Savings and Investments, Insurance Protection Plans (with a specific focus on Takaful), and Long-Term Financial Planning.The programme also integrates real-life application through engaging role-play exercises, interactive case studies, and practical workshop activities, Khaleej Times reported. Moreover, there are new modules being introduced on a regular basis tapping into areas including artificial intelligence, digital currencies, and modern money management practices.The 'Young Investor Programme' has already been implemented in 11 private schools across Dubai as a part of the pilot phase, which turned out to be successful.The participating institutions include Dubai Schools – Al Barsha; Dubai Schools – Al Khawaneej; Dubai Schools – Nad Al Sheba; International School of Creative Science – Nad Al Sheba; American School of Creative Science – Nad Al Sheba; American School of Creative Science – Maliha; American School of Creative Science – Al Layyah; Buds Public School; Nibras International School Dubai; Springdales School Dubai; and St Mary's Catholic High School.As of now, the programme is catering to 3,500 students in Dubai. The initiative is now taking giant strides and expanding beyond Dubai, entering cities like Sharjah.
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That means earning returns that beat inflation, which is the holy grail. Achieving that consistently requires macro stability: low fiscal deficit, low and stable inflation, and ideally a manageable current account ticks all those boxes. Our current account deficit is low and stable. We're less exposed to tariffs compared to economies like Southeast Asia or China, which rely heavily on manufacturing exports. Our exports are predominantly services-based, which are more insulated from global tariff is also well under control—lower than the RBI's forecast and well below its upper tolerance level. The government has been fiscally responsible, reducing the fiscal deficit year after year (except during the COVID period, where even then, spending was targeted and controlled). They've also committed to bringing down the debt-to-GDP ratio over are exactly the metrics that any global fixed income allocator looks at. 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I believe we're well-positioned to become a preferred destination for global fixed income as a movement — and the market attached to it — has gained significant traction and momentum in the West. In India, we are still at a very early stage of the entire ESG investing platform. Even within our landscape, equity is where we are seeing more traction compared to fixed said, we have seen some private corporates issuing ESG bonds. In fact, the Government of India also issues green bonds. So, there is a concerted effort, and of course, some demand for these instruments from specific a fixed income perspective, the market is still nascent and developing. Most of the demand for ESG bonds currently comes from foreign investors rather than domestic ones.I believe that as awareness grows, we could see ESG-dedicated funds in India as well — either from Indian or foreign investors — which could further drive investment in ESG bonds. There is great potential here, but we're still in the early the market paying a significant premium for ESG bonds? Selectively, yes. But it still needs to evolve into a more widespread and common instance, the government's borrowing cost for green bonds versus regular bonds isn't very different — perhaps just a 5-basis point green bonds were first introduced, our sense was that this premium — or "greenium," as it's called — could be much higher. That might still be the case in the future, given the early stage of the INR bond market.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)