Business Economy Education Local News School Technology Youth Students gain investing experience through stock market AI programme Lauryn EscamillaPublished: 15/05/2026 Updated: 14/05/2026017 views RF Senior Brokerage Manager Lamar Goring, Harrison College students and representative from the Ministry of Education Transformation, Randy Eastmond smile for the camera. (GP) More than 300 Harrison College students are now gaining practical exposure to investing and financial decision-making, as RF Merchant Bank & Trust (Barbados) Limited expands its sponsorship of an artificial intelligence-driven stock market simulation programme aimed at strengthening financial literacy among young Barbadians. The Sustainable Stock Market Artificial Intelligence Game, delivered through a partnership with Caribbean technology company WizdomCRM and supported by the Ministry of Education Transformation, brings the total number of students benefiting from the programme under RF’s sponsorship to nearly 800 across Harrison College, The Lodge School and Combermere School. The latest phase of the initiative was marked by a financial literacy school tour last Friday, when RF senior brokerage manager Lamar Goring joined representatives from WizdomCRM and the ministry to visit the participating schools for interactive financial empowerment sessions. The bank viewed the initiative as an investment in the next generation of Barbadians, Goring said. “We are pleased to be supporting young Barbadians on their educational and financial journeys.” “We share WizdomCRM’s commitment to empowering Caribbean students through tools that celebrate their unique standpoints, and we will continue to stand behind transformative initiatives like the stock market game, which uplift the communities we serve.” The Sustainable Stock Market AI Game allows students to manage virtual investment portfolios linked to local, regional and international stock markets, while introducing them to concepts such as investing, market trends and financial planning through artificial intelligence-powered learning tools. According to WizdomCRM, the programme has already reached more than 16 500 students across the Caribbean, as schools and private sector partners increasingly look for new ways to combine digital learning with financial education. Speaking on the expanded partnership, the company said the collaboration showed the value of regional institutions working together to prepare students for a changing economy. “This partnership demonstrates what becomes possible when financial institutions, education systems, and technology platforms work together with intentionality,” the company said. “Through artificial intelligence, financial literacy, and real-world market concepts, we are not only strengthening student engagement but helping to shape a generation that is more confident, analytical, and prepared for the future of work, economic participation, and long-term national development.” RF first partnered with WizdomCRM last October during World Investor Month, initially sponsoring students at The Lodge and Combermere across consecutive programme cycles. The addition of Harrison College significantly broadens the reach of the initiative, as financial literacy and digital education continue to gain attention regionally. The school tour also coincided with the close of Financial Literacy Month, observed globally in April, and formed part of RF’s wider youth empowerment and community impact strategy. (LE)