Sri Mulyani Advocates for Capital Market Education in Elementary Schools

DIGIVESTASI - Indonesia’s Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, has proposed that education on stocks and the capital market be introduced more broadly, even at the elementary school level. This initiative is seen as a critical step toward improving financial literacy from an early age while supporting the development of the capital market industry in Indonesia.

“When I, Mr. Mahendra (Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Authority/OJK), and Mr. Perry (Governor of Bank Indonesia/BI) were young, we only learned about the stock exchange during college. Today, this education should start in elementary school,” Sri Mulyani remarked during her speech at the 2025 Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) Opening Ceremony in Jakarta on Thursday (January 2, 2025).

The Importance of Early Financial Literacy

Sri Mulyani emphasized that introducing capital market literacy to young people would improve public understanding of stock trading when they become adults. This is expected to increase public participation in the capital market industry, thereby contributing to its growth.

“With this education, young generations will become more familiar with the stock exchange, and this effort can only be realized through the collaboration of all parties,” she explained.

Government Collaboration and Innovation

Sri Mulyani’s statement responded to the aspirations of OJK Chairman Mahendra Siregar, who called for support from various stakeholders to deepen the capital market. Sri Mulyani affirmed the government’s openness to new ideas and innovations aimed at enhancing financial literacy among the public.

“The number of people participating in the capital market remains relatively small. Therefore, education and literacy must continue to improve,” she stressed.

The government is also innovating by providing more accessible financial instruments, such as small-denomination government securities (SBN). This initiative allows students and young people to become part of the SBN investor base, expanding financial inclusion among younger generations.