BATT Encourages Students to Take Control of Their Financial Future
March 25th, 2026 | Related To: Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT)
The Bankers Association of Trinidad & Tobago (BATT) hosted engaging and interactive financial literacy sessions for secondary school students on 11 and 13 March, as part of its annual Global Money Week initiative. The initiative, which was held at each school’s auditorium reached over 250 Forms four (4) and five (5) students from Princes Town East and West Secondary Schools and Pt. Fortin East Secondary under this year’s theme, “Smart Money Talks.”
The sessions aimed to equip young people with practical knowledge on budgeting, saving, digital banking, fraud awareness and entrepreneurship, while encouraging them to engage in meaningful conversations about money and learn from trusted financial voices.
While addressing the students, Keston Howell, BATT’s Executive Director, encouraged the students to take advantage of the opportunity to learn practical financial skills. He emphasized the importance of young people being empowered with financial knowledge as a pathway to a more solid future.
“The habits you build today will shape the opportunities you have tomorrow. Learning how to budget, save, and make thoughtful spending decisions gives you control over your financial future. “
Highlights of the initiative included a Smart Money Feud game, modeled after the popular Family Feud, challenged students to think critically about financial decisions and everyday spending and real-life scenarios that explored balancing wants versus needs, saving consistently, and making smart choices. Based on the excitement and positive responses from the students’ engagement, Howell noted, “The students’ enthusiasm and eagerness to engage on financial topics were truly inspiring and gives me great optimism that they will be more intentional in determining their financial future.
Other presentations during the two-day celebrations featured Republic Bank representatives, Sharon Leigh Pierre, Business Lead, who introduced the SMART goal-setting framework (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely) to help students plan their finances effectively, while Kim Edwards, Management Associate, demonstrated how digital banking platforms make financial services more accessible and convenient. Meanwhile, using a short video clip from the movie-The Beekeeper, Sherwin Forte, Manager Corporate Security, educated students on the different types of scams and fraudulent practices including phishing, smishing, vishing, quishing. He warned students to exercise caution when using social media platforms where fraudulent schemes can occur. Forte shared practical tips for protecting personal information including creating strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication and regularly updating software.
Another major highlight was the Business Entrepreneurship Challenge facilitated by Shedron Collins, CEO, Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago. Students worked in teams to develop innovative business ideas and prepare short business pitches. The session introduced them to key entrepreneurial concepts such as identifying a value proposition, understanding customer segments and managing resources and costs. Students then applied these concepts by creating and presenting their own business ideas.
Overall, BATT’s Global Money Week activities successfully combined education with entertainment to make financial literacy engaging and relatable to young people. The activities form part of the wider objective of Global Money Week which is to raise awareness about the importance of financial literacy for children and youth and is officially celebrated from the 16th-22nd March 2026.
Through these initiatives, BATT continues to empower the next generation with the knowledge and tools to make informed financial decisions, fostering financial stability, inclusion, and long-term economic growth in Trinidad and Tobago.
