‘Why don’t schools teach us about money?’ Viral post ignites fierce debate on HK's education gap

A lengthy rant on popular online forum LIHKG titled “Why don’t schools ever teach us how to handle money?” has exploded into one of the platform’s hottest threads, with the original poster accusing Hong Kong’s education system of churning out exam machines while leaving generations financially illiterate in a ruthless capitalist world.

The author launched straight in, arguing that from primary school to university, students are drilled in rote learning, homework, and exams, yet never taught the single most brutal reality of adult life: money.

In their view, the entire system remains stuck in the industrial age, designed to produce obedient workers rather than people equipped to survive, much less thrive, in modern society.

Without early exposure to concepts like stocks, taxes, leverage, or investment psychology, many graduates step into the real world terrified of financial products, doomed to a lifetime of wage slavery and mortgage stress.

The post struck a nerve, quickly amassing thousands of replies split between strong agreement and practical skepticism. Supporters lamented that proper money education could save countless young people from being eaten alive by inflation or bad investments, while others worried that teaching high-risk topics in school could backfire spectacularly if students later lost big and blamed teachers.

Several commenters questioned who would even be qualified to teach the subject, pointing out that truly wealthy people rarely become teachers and broke ones lack credibility.

One widely shared anecdote recounted a retiring economics teacher whose entire investment strategy consisted of buying two taxi licenses, only to watch the assets plummet in value, underscoring the gap between textbook knowledge and real-world results.

Responding to the viral discussion, an Education Bureau spokesperson told local media that financial literacy is already woven across multiple subjects, including General Studies at the primary level, Personal, Social and Humanities Education, Mathematics, and Citizenship and Social Development at the secondary level.

The Bureau emphasized that the goal goes beyond mechanics to shaping healthy attitudes and values toward money.

Authorities highlighted ongoing initiatives such as teacher training programs, curriculum resources, and the Financial Education School Award Scheme, which saw around 170 schools take part last year.

A separate Jockey Club-backed program also provides diverse learning experiences aimed at building long-term financial capability among students.