Teens exposed to investing in ‘Get The Bag’ programme

Fifth and sixth-form students from three secondary schools have been introduced to the fundamentals of investing through the pilot phase of the ‘Get The Bag’ initiative.

The programme aims to empower young people with the knowledge needed to make informed financial decisions as they transition into adulthood and the workforce.

The initiative, part of the National Financial Literacy Programme’s schools’ component FLITE, was piloted at Springer Memorial Secondary, Christ Church Foundation School, and Daryll Jordan Secondary School during the last week of Term 1.

The students were taught the basics of investing; how to identify the characteristics of good investments (white flags); and how to recognise the warning signs of bad investments (red flags).

Giving the rationale for the ‘Get The Bag’ programme, Coordinator of the FLITE programme, Corey Worrell said: “At this transitional stage in a young person’s life, many students are eager to start earning money for personal goals, education, or even entrepreneurial pursuits. However, the allure of get-richquick schemes, such as Ponzi and pyramid schemes, often prey on unaware, impressionable and vulnerable individuals seeking financial gain and freedom.

“In Barbados, some adults have lost a substantial amount of money to such fraudulent schemes, leading to emotional and financial devastation. Through ‘Get The Bag’, FLITE seeks to prevent future generations from repeating these mistakes by educating our students.”

The coordinator explained that by providing this knowledge in an engaging and interactive format, FLITE’s aim is to inspire students to approach investing as a long-term strategic process, which they could navigate with caution, confidence, and an informed perspective.

“The long-term goal is to develop a generation of financially literate individuals who can identify and avoid fraudulent schemes while pursuing legitimate paths to financial success,”Worrell said.

Teachers and students have responded positively to the initiative. Annastasia Branch, guidance counsellor at the Daryll

Jordan Secondary School, said the presenters were engaging, enthusiastic and informative.

“During the breakout sessions, the students talked and asked many questions, and this led to them being very competitive during the quiz,” Branch shared. She added that even the teachers expressed an interest in a similar presentation.

Worrell disclosed that more children will be exposed to the ‘Get The Bag’ programme in Term 2. (BGIS)