- Schools offer less than an hour a month on money matters.
- A 14-week online course aims to fill the gap.
- Backers reportedly include senior figures from the finance world.
Teenagers are not usually the ones rewriting the rulebook on financial education. But three pupils from King’s College School in Wimbledon appear to be trying. Frustrated by what they see as a thin approach to money lessons in schools, Aryan Vedhara, 16, Ritik Mukherjee, 17, and Aneesh Rao, 16, have set up what they call the Aspire Project — a 14-week online programme aimed at secondary school students.
They argue that while pupils can handle complex equations, they leave school unsure about tax, pensions or investing. According to figures cited in a news report, children receive roughly 48 minutes of financial education per month. Much of it focuses on basic budgeting. Investing, risk and long-term saving are rarely covered in depth.
More than pocket money lessons
The Aspire Project runs in small online groups of around 10 to 15 students. Over 14 weeks, participants are introduced to budgeting, saving, investing and financial risk. There is also use of investment simulators, allowing students to practise decisions without using real cash.
The founders reportedly said they wanted the course to feel practical rather than theoretical. Sessions are designed to be interactive, not lecture-heavy. The programme is supported by a team of around ten people, including professionals from finance and technology. A former HSBC chief executive is said to be among those backing the initiative.
The aim, as quoted in a news report, is not to replace schools but to supplement what is already there.
The backdrop to this project is a broader concern about how young people are learning about money. Social media platforms are crowded with so-called “finfluencers” discussing shares, cryptocurrency and fast returns. Some teenagers are reportedly experimenting with high-risk investments before fully understanding how markets work.
The Aspire founders have suggested that structured education could counter that trend. Financial literacy, confidence and adaptability are “essential foundations for modern life”, one of them reportedly said in a news report.
They are also calling for more formal teaching in schools. The group has suggested a minimum of 15 hours per year of financial education for every secondary school pupil, including clearer lessons on investing.
Whether schools adopt such proposals remains to be seen. For now, the initiative stands as an example of students trying to address what they see as a blind spot in the curriculum.
