Ninth- and 10th-grade students will be required to study financial education beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, the Education Ministry said this week.
About 550 teachers have already been trained to teach the courses, and another 750 are expected to begin training in early September, the ministry said.
In October, about 1,300 teachers will undergo a 60-hour training program for ninth-grade classes. Additional training courses will commence in 2027 for 10th-grade teachers.
The curriculum was designed to combine economic knowledge, behavioral psychology, and development of life skills, the ministry said. It will be split into four main topics: responsible consumer behavior and financial decision-making; money and banking; the labor market in a changing world; and investments, opportunities, and risks.
Conscious consumer behavior and financial decision-making will teach ninth-grade students about factors that impact economic decisions, how to distinguish between necessities and luxuries, the impact of marketing mechanisms and social pressure, and tools for making responsible decisions.
In the module on money and banking, the students will learn the basic concepts of money, economic processes such as supply and demand, inflation, and the cost of living, and how traditional and digital payment methods developed.
The module on the labor market in a changing world will introduce ninth-grade students to the rights of working teenagers and the basic aspects of entering the workforce.
The module on investments, opportunities, and risks will introduce students to basic financial concepts, including interest, various kinds of savings, and insurance.
Curriculum expands in 10th grade to include personal goals, objectives
In 10th grade, the curriculum will expand to include setting personal goals and objectives, budget planning, and making financial decisions to achieve short- and long-term goals.
It will also include changes taking place in the technological era, future professions, skills required in the changing world of the workforce, and how to read and understand the different components of a pay slip.
Students will also learn about various investment options, including the capital market, real estate, human capital, and foreign currency, while understanding the relationship between risk and return and the importance of diversifying risks when making financial decisions.
Yoav Kisch welcomes changes, calls move 'step in preparing the next generation'
Education Minister Yoav Kisch (Likud), who initiated the program, said: “This is an important and welcome step in preparing the next generation to face the challenges of the world outside.”
“Throughout the process, I believed that the education system must provide knowledge and skills that will enable young people to successfully cope with life’s challenges,” he said. “I am proud to lead this revolution and provide every student in Israel with a practical financial toolkit that will serve them throughout their lives.”