financial literacy

Developing students’ economic competence and creativity is essential to preparing them for economic challenges and changing societal demands. However, school entrepreneurship programs do not necessarily develop economic understanding and creativity equally, making evaluation of their implementation and learning outcomes necessary. This study aims to analyze the implementation, supporting and inhibiting factors, and effectiveness of an entrepreneurship-based school program in developing students’ economic competence and creativity at SMP Negeri 2 Tuhemberua. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed. Data were collected through interviews, documentation, and observations involving the school principal, supervising teacher, and five participating students. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing, with credibility examined through source and method triangulation. The findings indicate that the Cultivation and MSME Business Project supports students’ understanding of production, capital, costs, sales, and profit while encouraging product innovation, problem-solving, responsibility, and cooperation. Nevertheless, program effectiveness remains limited by insufficient time, inadequate facilities, difficulties in financial recordkeeping, and restricted marketing reach. Therefore, the program is effective as a practical learning experience but requires stronger structured reflection, financial literacy activities, and continuous evaluation to improve students’ economic competence and creativity. ABSTRAK Pengembangan kompetensi ekonomi dan kreativitas siswa penting untuk mempersiapkan mereka menghadapi tantangan ekonomi dan perubahan zaman. Namun, pelaksanaan program kewirausahaan di sekolah belum tentu menghasilkan penguasaan konsep ekonomi dan kreativitas secara seimbang sehingga perlu dievaluasi berdasarkan proses dan capaian pembelajarannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pelaksanaan, faktor pendukung dan penghambat, serta efektivitas program sekolah berbasis kewirausahaan dalam mengembangkan kompetensi ekonomi dan kreativitas siswa SMP Negeri 2 Tuhemberua. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara, dokumentasi, dan pengamatan terhadap kepala sekolah, guru pembimbing, serta lima siswa peserta program. Analisis data dilakukan melalui reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan, dengan keabsahan diperiksa melalui triangulasi sumber dan teknik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa program Proyek Budidaya dan Usaha UMKM mendukung pemahaman siswa tentang produksi, modal, biaya, penjualan, dan keuntungan, sekaligus mendorong inovasi produk, pemecahan masalah, tanggung jawab, dan kerja sama. Efektivitas program belum optimal karena keterbatasan waktu, sarana, pencatatan keuangan, dan jangkauan pemasaran. Dengan demikian, program efektif sebagai pengalaman belajar praktis, tetapi memerlukan penguatan refleksi, literasi keuangan, dan evaluasi berkelanjutan.

The massive penetration of digital transactions among adolescents presents real financial vulnerability due to low understanding of Islamic economic contracts and ethics. Conventional fiqh learning is often isolated in textual normative memorization without honing students' critical reasoning skills against contemporary realities. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the implementation of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model in the learning of Fiqh Muamalah and its impact on strengthening students' critical reasoning and sharia financial literacy on digital economy issues. The research design adopts a qualitative approach with a bounded system case study at SMK Darul Musyawirin Cirebon. The research participants include Fiqh Muamalah teachers, vice principals for curriculum, and grade XI students who are directly involved in the learning cycle. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured in-depth interviews, classroom participatory observations, and review of learning portfolio documentation. Data analysis was carried out cyclically through an interactive model of open coding-based data reduction, presentation of thematic matrix data, and conclusion drawing and verification that were validated through source triangulation, member check, and trail audit. The results of the study revealed that organizing learning through the stages of authentic problem orientation (such as paylater, online loans, and digital investment), legal literature investigation, intergroup discussion-rebuttal dialectic, and value reflection succeeded in transforming students' mindsets from textual-reproductive reasoning to contextual-analytic based on postulates. Students showed a surge in competence in distinguishing murabahah margins from time-based interest, identifying the elements of riba, gharar, and maisir, and compiling simple legal arguments of istinbath al-ahkam. In addition, the structural understanding was internalized into behavioral financial literacy that encourages transaction prudence and verification of sharia legality. This instructional model proves that the integration of real issues of the digital economy into the PBL syntax effectively bridges classical fiqh doctrine with modern challenges, while offering a transformative pedagogical framework for vocational Islamic education curriculum.

Abstract : The Northeastern College–College of Liberal Arts (NC-COLA) is committed to uplifting community well-being through responsive extension programs. This study evaluated the community needs of Barangay Mabini across seven domains: Education and Parenting, Food Safety and Hygiene, Human Rights and Violence Awareness, Livelihood and Financial Literacy, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM), Environmental Conservation, and Organizational Planning and Management. Using a descriptive mixed-method design combining survey questionnaires and key informant interviews, results showed that Livelihood and Financial Literacy obtained the highest weighted mean (4.75), identifying economic vulnerability as the community’s most pressing concern. Food Safety and Hygiene (4.72), Organizational Planning and Management (4.68), Environmental Conservation (4.63), and DRRM (4.59) also registered high demand, reflecting gaps in public health, governance, and disaster preparedness. Human Rights and Violence Awareness (4.48) indicated greater preference for practical safety programs over formal legal education. It was concluded that Barangay Mabini requires coordinated, multi-stakeholder interventions targeting economic empowerment, institutional governance, and community resilience. Recommendations include financial literacy and livelihood programs, strengthening of the Barangay DRRM Council, systematic waste management, and capacity-building for local officials in partnership with relevant government agencies.

This study assessed the socio-demographic profile and level of Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) functional literacy among senior high school students as a basis for developing a work readiness intervention program. Specifically, it examined the respondents’ profiles in terms of age, sex, general academic performance, and availability of TLE-related tools at home, as well as their level of functional literacy in technology and engineering design, food and nutrition, financial literacy, entrepreneurial competence, and agricultural literacy and agri-tech awareness. A descriptive research design was employed involving 406 senior high school students. Data were gathered using a validated researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using frequency, percentage, and mean. Findings showed that the majority of respondents were 17–18 years old, with male students slightly outnumbering female students. Most respondents demonstrated favorable academic performance, with the largest proportion obtaining grades of 90 and above. In terms of available TLE-related resources at home, students had greater access to common cooking and household tools than to sewing and agricultural equipment. The findings further revealed varying levels of TLE functional literacy across the identified domains. Technology and engineering design literacy, food and nutrition literacy, and financial literacy were assessed as Needs Improvement, indicating areas requiring strengthened practical knowledge and skills. Agricultural literacy and agri-tech awareness reflected a relatively higher level of performance, while entrepreneurial competence was assessed as Very Satisfactory, indicating a notable strength among the respondents. Based on these findings, a work readiness intervention program entitled “Ready for Work: A Work Readiness Intervention Program for Enhancing TLE Functional Literacy among Senior High School Students” was proposed to address identified areas for improvement through hands-on, skill-based, and experiential learning activities. The study concludes that although students demonstrate strengths in entrepreneurial competence and academic performance, targeted instructional support and practical learning opportunities are needed to strengthen TLE functional literacy relevant to employment, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning. It is recommended that schools provide structured work readiness interventions, expand opportunities for experiential and hands-on learning, and integrate practical financial, technological, and livelihood skills into TLE instruction to better prepare students for future work environments.

Rising living costs and expensive higher education place many students under financial pressure, yet the evidence from Southeast Asia has not been brought together. Following the Arksey and O’Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines, a total of 239 records were screened, comprising 174 records retrieved from Scopus and 65 records from non-Scopus sources. Eleven studies from five countries (the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand) were charted and synthesised narratively. Six were quantitative surveys, and five of the eleven appeared in 2025 or 2026. Six themes emerged. First, costs extend beyond tuition: programme costs, rent, and other indirect expenses create hardship even where tuition is free. Second, access to family resources and financial aid is unequal. Third, financial strain is reported alongside psychological distress and academic strain, a pattern of co-occurrence rather than demonstrated cause. Fourth, students cope through income generation, saving and economising, building financial literacy, cognitive reappraisal, spiritual support, and selective use of social support. Fifth, financial literacy and behaviour appear to shape financial well-being, although findings on financial stress conflict. Sixth, authors call for support beyond tuition, but no study evaluated an intervention. The evidence is mostly cross-sectional, and no eligible study came from Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, or Timor-Leste. Malaysia contributes one study, which examines financial well-being rather than coping strategies. Future work needs harmonised measures, longitudinal and intervention designs, and wider country coverage.

Student loan debt held by borrowers in the United States, now exceeding $1.83 trillion, has reshaped higher education access and affordability, yet little is known about how practitioners who advise students make sense of this system while navigating their own borrowing experiences. Guided by Weick’s (1995) sensemaking framework, this qualitative study examines the introspective and extrospective perspectives of 30 higher education practitioners across diverse institutional contexts. Through semi-structured interviews, we explore how practitioners reconcile personal debt with professional responsibilities and interpret shifting student attitudes toward borrowing. Findings reveal pervasive ambivalence: loans are framed as a “necessary burden”—essential for educational and career mobility yet emotionally and financially constraining. Practitioners report growing student anxiety, early skepticism about loan value, and widespread financial literacy gaps. These insights underscore the ethical and emotional labor embedded in advising and highlight implications for policy, institutional practice, and professional development aimed at improving affordability and informed decision-making.

بدهی وام دانشجویی در میان وام‌گیرندگان ایالات متحده که اکنون از ۱.۸۳ تریلیون دلار فراتر رفته است، دسترسی و مقرون‌به‌صرفه بودن آموزش عالی را دگرگون کرده است، اما اطلاعات اندکی درباره چگونگی درک کنشگرانی که به دانشجویان مشاوره می‌دهند و همزمان با تجربه‌های وام‌گیری خود نیز مواجه‌اند، وجود دارد. این مطالعه کیفی با راهنمایی چارچوب معنا‌سازی Weick (1995)، به بررسی دیدگاه‌های درون‌نگر و برون‌نگر ۳۰ کنشگر آموزش عالی در زمینه‌های نهادی متنوع می‌پردازد. از طریق مصاحبه‌های نیمه‌ساختاریافته، بررسی می‌شود که این کنشگران چگونه بدهی شخصی خود را با مسئولیت‌های حرفه‌ای آشتی می‌دهند و نگرش‌های متغیر دانشجویان نسبت به وام‌گیری را تفسیر می‌کنند. یافته‌ها نشان‌دهنده ابهام فراگیر است: وام‌ها به عنوان «باری ضروری» چارچوب‌بندی می‌شوند—ضروری برای تحرک آموزشی و شغلی، اما از نظر عاطفی و مالی محدودکننده. کنشگران از افزایش اضطراب دانشجویان، تردیدهای اولیه نسبت به ارزش وام و شکاف‌های گسترده در سواد مالی گزارش می‌دهند. این بینش‌ها بر کار عاطفی و اخلاقی نهفته در مشاوره تأکید می‌کند و پیامدهایی برای سیاست‌گذاری، عمل نهادی و توسعه حرفه‌ای با هدف بهبود مقرون‌به‌صرفگی و تصمیم‌گیری آگاهانه دارد.