KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Bernama) — After participating in the Train-the-Trainer (TTT): Personal Financial Management for Teachers programme, Suhaila Al Husna binti Nasruddin, a teacher and lead trainer with the programme, adopted new habits such as setting up an emergency savings fund, building passive income streams, and managing financial risks more carefully. Suhaila and her team of trainers in Negeri Sembilan have also gone on to train other teachers in their state, successfully boosting their confidence to teach financial literacy by 49%.
TTT, managed by FINCO and spearheaded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Financial Education Network (FEN), focuses on building practical financial management skills that lead to tangible changes in participants’ lives. From August to September 2025, 209 master trainers, comprising teachers, MOE officials, as well as lecturers from Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) across five regions nationwide participated in the initiative, before cascading it to school teachers nationwide from October 2025 onwards.
As of March 2026, more than 7,000 school teachers across Malaysia have been empowered to improve their personal financial habits. Impact data collected three months post-training reveal significant positive behavioural changes: 62% of participants saved more than 10% of their monthly income, a 24% increase from baseline data; and 58% saved or invested more than 10% specifically for retirement, a 27% increase.
These positive outcomes directly support the national policy agenda under the National Strategy for Financial Literacy 2026–2030 and the Financial Inclusion Framework 2023-2026, particularly in improving financial decision-making, increasing savings, strengthening retirement readiness, and building financial resilience.
“Teachers are the backbone of our education system, and their financial wellbeing directly impacts their ability to focus and inspire in the classroom. The response from the teachers and their adoption and application of what they learn from the programme shows how vital this kind of practical education is for them.
“Armed with their newfound knowledge and skills, these teachers are now better equipped to impart relevant financial education to the students and communities they are serving,” said FINCO’s CEO, Clare Walker, about the necessity and impact of the programme.
The TTT Programme is delivered through a coordinated industry effort under FINCO, with participation from AmBank Group, Bank Muamalat Malaysia, Bank Simpanan Nasional, CIMB Foundation, Hong Leong Bank, Public Bank, RHB Bank, FWD Insurance and Sea Ltd. FINCO’s Chairman, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, underscored the importance of industry collaboration in achieving sustainable impact.
“The financial industry has a vested interest and a social responsibility in promoting national financial literacy. Our partners in the financial sector have played an integral role, not just through funding, but by sharing expertise that ensures the content is relevant, accurate, and impactful. This synergy between the education and financial sectors is essential to sustaining a long-term culture of prudent financial management among teachers and, by extension, the students they influence,” he stated.
Indeed, the programme brings to life the vision articulated by Dato’ Sri Abdul Rasheed Abdul Ghaffour, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, in his Opening Remarks at the Launch of Karnival Celik Kewangan Sarawak in Kuching, “to establish a capacity-building programme that not only encompasses courses and workshops on financial literacy, but also places strong emphasis on the personal development of teachers. This approach aims to position teachers as positive role models for students, school communities, and local communities in matters of financial management.”
Teachers share positive experiences
“I have started planning my retirement in 10 years. Savings and investments have been started and made into monthly commitments. My target is RM1.2 million. With this awareness, I feel more confident educating,” said a teacher from Penang, in an anonymous survey response collected from programme participants.
Echoing this sentiment, a teacher from Johor said, “I am more aware of my monthly cash flow and have started long-term financial planning while considering the risks involved,”
A teacher from Malacca added, “The programme gave me the opportunity to gain and share practical financial information with my colleagues. I am also more active in conducting financial activities for students in school.”
Looking ahead, the scaling up of the Programme will rely on broader, coordinated participation by financial institutions through FINCO, enabling the Train-the-Trainers model to reach more educators nationwide while reinforcing a shared, industry-led approach to building financial capability across generations.
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