Financial Education Concept in Brazil:
According to OECD (2005), financial education is “the process by which individuals and societies improve their understanding regarding financial concepts and products, so that with information, training and guidance they may develop the values and skills needed to become more aware of the opportunities and risks involved in them, and then they can make informed choices, to know where to seek help and take other actions to improve their well-being. Thus, they can contribute more consistently to the formation of responsible individuals and societies, committed to the future”.
The recent economic rise of millions of Brazilians puts the citizen in touch with new situations and unfamiliar financial operations for many people. Added to this, the increase in consumption possibilities makes it necessary to promote financial education to raise awareness of the population about their individual and family decisions related to their resources.
Adopt decisions of credit, investment, protection, use and planning to provide a more sustainable financial life generates impacts not only the life of each one, but also in the future of our country. Financial education invites everyone to broaden their understanding about these choices, and knowledge that enables the development of a balanced relationship with money.
Brazil is one of the few countries in the world that has a National Strategy for Financial Education (ENEF), created to promote free financial education activities, without any commercial interest. The Brazilian ENEF is the result of a joint action between 12 institutions of government and civil society, and, due to this differential, it values actions which integrates the private sector, civil society and the government.