Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy: A New Subject Introduced in Ukrainian Schools

Starting from September 1 of this academic year, a new mandatory subject "Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy" will be taught in the 8th grades of the New Ukrainian School. This is reported by the press service of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).

According to the NBU, the introduction of such a mandatory subject in school education has become possible due to the systematic work of the NBU on developing financial literacy among Ukrainians over the past ten years.

As noted by NBU Chairman Andriy Pyshny, the NBU's authority in the area of enhancing financial literacy is enshrined at the legislative level.

"The introduction of the new subject 'Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy' is a strategic investment in the future of Ukraine. It is not just about acquiring theoretical knowledge about money, but also about developing entrepreneurial thinking, understanding the basics of financial management, being able to work in a team, and responsibly building one's future," emphasized the Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine, Andriy Pyshny.

The NBU stated that in 2024, the Ukrainian Institute of Social Research named after O. Yaremenko conducted a study, which confirmed that the level of financial knowledge among Ukrainian teenagers is critically low and is just at the initial level. The sample was formed by the State Enterprise "Institute of Educational Analytics".

The survey involved 97 schools from 19 regions of Ukraine and the city of Kyiv. A total of 3139 students aged 14 to 17 were surveyed. The average level of correct answers on case-based tasks among teenagers was 46.6%, which corresponds to 3 points on a 12-point school grading system. This result indicates the initial level of financial literacy among Ukrainian teenagers.

To ensure quality teaching of the new subject, NBU experts have developed a complete set of educational and methodological materials:

• a textbook and an electronic application with interactive tasks, which have the stamp "Recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine" (Order of the Ministry of Education No. 347 dated 21.02.2025);
• a workbook for students;
• a teacher's guide and calendar thematic planning;
• presentations for visual support.

To prepare teachers for teaching the subject, the National Bank conducted large-scale free training. In June-July 2025, nearly 2,500 educators underwent training and received the necessary knowledge, access to materials, and practical tools to teach the new subject.

In addition, the National Bank has created a free educational platform Financial Knowledge Center "TALAN", where educators and students can find interactive tools, practical materials, and methodological developments, as well as participate in annual educational events aimed at improving financial literacy, such as Global Money Week, European Money Quiz, Savings Week, and other activities.

In three years of its activity (since August 2022), the Financial Knowledge Center "TALAN" project has united almost 45 thousand educators who make financial literacy a part of the educational process in various educational institutions.

During this time, nearly 40 thousand certificates of qualification improvement have been issued, and nearly 170 thousand visitors have already used the website (over 731 thousand transitions), indicating a high level of interest from the educational community.

In the 2025/2026 academic year, the subject "Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy" will be implemented in pilot 9th grades of the NUS. In August of this year, a preparation for the teachers who will work in the pilot 9th grades of NUS took place, involving more than 100 teachers. Throughout the year, a qualification improvement course for teachers of 9th grades can be taken free of charge by all interested teachers.

Additionally, work is also underway by NBU specialists on a complete set of educational and methodological materials for the 9th grade, which will include: a textbook, an electronic application, a workbook, calendar thematic planning, a teacher's guide, and lesson presentations. At the same time, the team of NBU specialists is working on making financial literacy available for students in high school as well.