Milne Bay Provincial Government Financial Inclusion Coordinator, Mr Joshua Kameko, says strong interest from teachers and students has reinforced the value of bringing the Young Mind Savings Campaign (YMSC) to schools across the province.
East Cape Primary School was the final school visited on Thursday, 24 September, bringing the school component of the 2026 YMSC rollout in Milne Bay Province to a close.
The response from students at East Cape Primary School was positive, with students showing enthusiasm and eagerness to learn more about opening bank accounts, developing good savings habits, and understanding the various financial products and services offered by the participating financial institutions.
Their interest reflected the broader objective of the YMSC, introducing children to practical financial knowledge at an early age and encouraging them to develop a culture of saving for their future.
In an interview during the campaign, Mr Kameko thanked the provincial administration for funding the 2026 programme through its Division of Commerce and Industry. The campaign is run by the Milne Bay Provincial Government with support from the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI), the Securities Commission of Papua New Guinea, the Treasury Department and participating financial institutions.
Mr Kameko said the campaign gives young people, particularly those in areas with limited access to banking services, an opportunity to learn about saving, opening bank accounts and accessing formal financial products and services.
Following the positive response to the 2024 campaign, more schools had requested visits, demonstrating growing interest in financial literacy and savings education among young people.
The 2026 campaign reached Watunou and Divinai primary schools on Tuesday, 22 September, followed by Lelehudi and Walalaia primary schools on Wednesday, 23 September.
Mr Kameko said teachers across the participating schools had welcomed the sessions and expressed interest in preparing for more student account openings should the campaign return.
“They want more of it,” he said of the schools’ response.
Mr Kameko also credited the province’s financial inclusion committee and its member institutions for their continuing cooperation. He said the Provincial Government hoped to continue the campaign in the coming years, building on its partnership with CEFI and financial institutions to help more children develop positive saving habits and improve their understanding of formal financial services.
Ends.
CEFI was established under the Association Incorporation Act and officially launched on the 24th of April 2013. CEFI was endorsed by PNG’s National Executive Council (NEC) as the industry apex organization for coordinating, advocating and monitoring all financial inclusion activities in PNG.
CEFI’s vision, mission and values focus on financial inclusion and literacy, poverty elimination and the promotion of vibrant financial institutional operation in Papua New Guinea.
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