Teachers’ Financial Management Skills
Keywords:
Financial Management Skills, Budgeting, Savings/Investing, Credit/Debt, Financial Literacy Plan, Public School TeachersAbstract
Financial literacy is a critical life skill for educators, particularly in contexts where income constraints and financial obligations intersect with professional demands. This study aimed to assess the level of financial management skills among 120 public school teachers in a selected division in the Philippines, focusing on three core areas: budgeting, savings/investing, and credit/debt management. The respondents were grouped according to age, length of service, and net take-home pay to determine whether these demographic variables influenced financial behavior. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests were employed to analyze the data. Results revealed that teachers consistently demonstrated high levels of financial management skills across all three domains, regardless of age, tenure, or income bracket. No significant differences were found when grouped according to the aforementioned variables. These findings suggest that financial competence is broadly practiced among teachers, yet moderate engagement in long-term planning and formal investment strategies indicates areas for improvement. Based on the results, a school-based Financial Literacy Plan is proposed, featuring three targeted programs—BudgetWise, EduVest, and CreditShield—to strengthen future-oriented budgeting, investment literacy, and responsible borrowing practices.
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