Money. If you’re like most Kiwis, you know that money is one of the most important things you’ll have to get your head around in life, and yet you’re also wondering: why is it never really taught at school like other subjects?
Banqer changes that. Created by local-tech-superstar Kendall Flutey, Banqer is an online tool that can be used in classrooms to create a complex and realistic virtual economy that students use on a day-to-day basis. It looks a lot like normal internet banking, but in this case the money’s all pretend and the teacher’s in control.
Students receive income, pay for stuff (including taxes), get in (and out) of debt, invest their money, buy property, make mistakes, figure out what works, and heaps more. It’s up to the teacher how integrated Banqer is in the everyday workings of the classroom, but it’s designed so that financial education isn’t just a subject you do for an hour a day and then move on; Banqer can support and enhance every other subject that the classroom gets into.
Banqer, like financial education, is for all Kiwi kids.
It kind of sounds futuristic, but it’s not: Banqer is already in 120 schools in New Zealand, and the results have been awesome (checkout the video above). At Kiwibank, we were blown away when we were first introduced to Banqer, and we came to the same conclusion that you’ll hopefully share: this needs to be something that every Kiwi kid can enjoy.
For that reason, Kiwibank is sponsoring 1,000 classrooms across New Zealand to have their first year’s subscription to Banqer for free.
It’s not a competition, and there are no hoops to jump through. All that has to happen is that teachers who want Banqer need to apply for it over on Banqer’s webpage. If you’re the parent of an 8-12 year old who wants to show this to your child’s teacher, there’s the ability to email the teacher an introduction to Banqer, or print one out yourself so you can take it in. The first 1,000 classrooms of 8-12 year olds who apply for sponsorship will get it.Just like that.
Kiwibank, Banqer,you, and your kids: a partnership that’ll last.
Over the next year, Kiwibank will continue to support Banqer through creating new educational modules, and we’ll be sharing more success stories and more tips and tricks to help your kids strengthen their money skills. Because together we’re all banking on the next generation.
Want to find out more? Read how Kiwibank and Banqer are working together to support the next generation of Kiwis on the Banqer site. You can also find out how to get Banqer and interactive financial literacy into a classroom you care about.
