The Manitoba government is introducing a new compulsory math curriculum for Grade 9 students that will include financial literacy to help improve math scores and better prepare students for advanced courses and adulthood.
“The renewed course will better prepare high school students for the demands of pre-calculus, chemistry and physics, while giving students more time to master practical, hands-on mathematics,” said Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt. “The financial literacy component will help students learn the tools to make smart financial decisions in their adult lives, like how to budget and how to save for the future.”
The renewed Grade 9 math compulsory course will replace the current one that included an optional transitional math course. Financial literacy elements will be incorporated throughout the curriculum. The program will be piloted in select schools starting in September 2026, with full implementation throughout the province expected in September 2027, noted the minister.
“Grade 9 math is taught during a pivotal year for students,” said Jehu Peters, teacher, mathematics department, Maples Collegiate. “Extending it to a full-year course gives all Manitoba learners increased contact time with their teacher, which is an excellent way to strengthen numeracy skills. Embedding financial literacy in the curriculum will boost engagement with relevant content and prepare every student to make informed financial decisions.”
To further support financial literacy outcomes, the Manitoba government is also providing $65,000 to the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education to renew resources for teachers who deliver the new curriculum and offer educators updated tools and resources to integrate financial literacy into English language arts, social studies and mathematics curriculums in grades 4 through 10.
Giving kids in Manitoba the best education by improving curriculums and literacy outcomes, including financial literacy by creating a dedicated unit on financial literacy in Grade 9, was a commitment made in the 2024 speech from the throne, noted the minister. The inclusion of financial literacy in a renewed Grade 9 math curriculum is another way the Manitoba government is working to achieve this priority, in addition to several other important initiatives, including the Universal School Nutrition Program, the early reading screening initiative, smaller early years class sizes and enhancing the Community Schools Program, said the minister.
