Pru Life UK, together with its community investment arm in Asia and Africa, Prudence Foundation, and Junior Achievement (JA) Philippines, have certified over 2,400 teachers to teach financial education under the 2022 Cha-Ching Curriculum Financial Accreditation (CCFA) program for the school year 2021-2022.

Cha-Ching was introduced back in 2011 as an online, interactive platform to promote and teach children about the four money-smart concepts - Earn, Save, Spend and Donate. In 2016, Pru Life UK partnered with JA Philippines to have the Cha-Ching Curriculum, using the already successful Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids materials, integrated in the Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (Values Formation) subject of Grade 4 students, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd).

The objective is to provide an organized approach and structured lesson plans for teachers to ensure good learning outcomes for the students. It is also meant to adopt timely and proactive measures to intensify the integration of financial literacy in the K to 12 basic education system curriculum in the country.

In order to supplement the financial education curriculum implementation, the CCFA, an online assessment tool, was created. This tool is to accredit and recognize the hardworking teachers for their mastery in teaching the money-smart lessons of the Cha-Ching Curriculum.

“The idea of earning money, having to save, having to have a budget, having expenses, and understanding what are expenses versus savings - these are issues that affect all of us. By the age of seven (7), basic concepts related to financial behavior will have already been formulated or developed,” said Marc Fancy, Executive Director of Prudence Foundation.

“Our goal is to reach even more Filipino students and teachers in this continuing commitment for financial education and inclusion. It is our fervent hope that the Financial Education Policy will usher greater momentum for Cha-Ching to bring smiles to more Filipino children and their families, and help them get the most out of life,”

shared Atty. Emeren Vallente, SVP and Chief Legal and Government Relations Officer of Pru Life UK, in her opening remarks during the virtual recognition program.

“We at JA are in the business of empowering young people and what better way to do this than recognizing outstanding teachers and outstanding teaching. The CCFA program has been developed to inspire excellence and to recognize these special educators that have made such a strong positive impact on financial literacy,” said Maziar Sabet, President and CEO of JA Asia Pacific.

As the highlight of the celebration, various top and special awards were handed over to Cha-Ching teachers and institutions who have shown exemplary commitment, dedication and brilliance in teaching Filipino youth the value of financial literacy. About 40 CCFA exam topnotchers from the Philippines were chosen to attend the first ever regionwide Cha-Ching Financial Literacy Conference, sponsored by the Prudence Foundation in partnership with JA Asia Pacific, held on February 18-19, 2022.

Going forward, Cha-Ching will continue in its drive to foster financially literate youth, alongside teachers and partners in the education sector, through ceaseless improvements and innovations, toward expanding its reach beyond the current 170,000 student beneficiaries this year.

Between the years 2016 to 2021, Cha-Ching was able to connect with close to 500,000 Filipino students. Additionally, just in 2021, Cha-Ching was able to garner 6,747 educators to teach the Cha-Ching Curriculum in participating schools in the Philippines, bringing the cumulative number to 11,910 teachers from 2016 to 2021.

For more information about Cha-Ching, please contact coordinator2@japionline.org or visit https://chaching.cartoonnetworkasia.com/en/.