Guangzhou schools to teach about financial investment

Schools in Guangzhou, capital of south China's booming Guangdong Province and home to a large concentration of the country's individual stock market investors, are to begin teaching students about financial investment.

Provincial authorities will incorporate the courses into the curriculum for some schools from the fall semester.

The pilot program, the first of its kind in China, will involve nearly 10,000 students in three grades from 36 primary and high schools, said a spokesperson with Guangdong's securities regulatory bureau.

The biweekly course, including lectures on the basics of financial services, such as stock trading, is aimed at helping students develop a proper perception of wealth and enhancing their risk awareness.

Unlike in mature economies, where the stock market is dominated by institutional investors, the majority of stock market investment in China comes from individuals. Analysts believe the latter situation is more likely to lead to volatility in the market.

Risk awareness will be a major part of the syllabus. "The students will learn how to identify a phishing website or financial fraud, and may deliver the knowledge to their family members," according to the spokesperson.

The central government has been calling for investment education in schools since 2013.

Public opinion on the program is divided. Supporters believe it will bring financial wisdom to the children, while objectors worry it will encourage them to gamble on the stock market.