26th April 2026
ACT leader David Seymour has floated the idea of giving Year 11 students $500 each to learn how to invest, as part of discussions around strengthening financial literacy in schools.
What is being suggested
Seymour suggested that students could be given a set amount of money to invest, allowing them to learn about financial markets through direct experience rather than theory alone. The idea centres on students making real investment decisions and seeing the outcomes over time.
He has indicated the aim would be to help young people understand saving, risk, and long-term financial planning by engaging with real money.
Still at an early stage
The idea has not been developed into a formal proposal, and no detailed plan has been released. Seymour has described it as something he is thinking about, rather than a confirmed policy or programme.
There are currently no confirmed details around how it would work in practice, including how the funding would be provided, how investments would be managed, or whether participation would be voluntary.
Part of a bigger discussion on financial literacy
The suggestion comes amid ongoing discussion about financial education in schools. While financial literacy is included in the curriculum, there have been calls to make learning more practical and better aligned with real-world financial decisions.
Seymour’s comments reflect a broader idea that hands-on experience could play a role in improving financial understanding among students.
Questions likely to follow
Although still in the early stages, the idea raises a number of questions around cost, oversight, and how such a scheme would be delivered at scale.
For now, the concept remains an early-stage idea rather than a confirmed policy, but it adds to ongoing debate about how best to equip students with financial skills for the future.
