Many Malaysian youths face challenges in numeracy and financial literacy, affecting their ability to make informed financial decisions. According to Bank Negara Malaysia, three out of four Malaysians do not have at least RM1,000 in emergency savings, highlighting the need for stronger financial education. In addition, many secondary school students perceive mathematics as difficult and fail to see its practical applications in daily life.

To address these issues, Maths Explorace: Empowering Financial Literacy Through Mathematics Modelling introduces an interactive learning approach that combines mathematics with real-life financial situations. Through games, teamwork, and problem-solving activities, students will develop practical financial skills while increasing their interest in mathematics.

Vision

To empower Malaysian youth with strong mathematical thinking and financial literacy, enabling them to become financially responsible individuals and confident decision-makers.

Mission

• To improve financial literacy among secondary school students through interactive mathematics-based learning.
• To demonstrate how mathematics can be applied to real-life financial situations such as budgeting, saving, and financial planning.
• To encourage students to develop critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
• To inspire greater interest in mathematics and STEM education through engaging activities.

Phase 1: School Visit and Preparation

• Visit SMK Bandar Baru Sintok to meet the school management and teachers.
• Introduce the project objectives and discuss the programme schedule.
• Conduct a needs assessment to better understand the students' learning needs.
• Finalise logistics, participant arrangements, and activity planning.

Phase 2: Facilitator Training

• Train 38 undergraduate students from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) on financial literacy, mathematics modelling, facilitation skills, and programme management.
• Prepare learning materials, activity kits, worksheets, and game stations for the Explorace programme.

Phase 3: Maths Explorace Programme

• Organise a one-day Maths Explorace involving 80 Form 4 students from SMK Bandar Baru Sintok.
• Students participate in interactive challenge stations covering topics such as budgeting, saving, loans, investments, and financial decision-making.
• Facilitate group discussions and reflection sessions to connect mathematical concepts with real-life financial situations.

Phase 4: Follow-up and Community Engagement

• Conduct a follow-up visit to the school to reinforce the concepts learned and gather feedback from students and teachers.
• Encourage each student to share the knowledge gained with at least two family members or friends through the cascade teaching model.
• Evaluate the programme's effectiveness through questionnaires and reflection activities to measure learning outcomes and identify areas for improvement.

By the end of the project, we aim to achieve the following outcomes:

• Train 38 undergraduate facilitators in financial literacy and mathematics modelling.
• Deliver financial literacy education to 80 Form 4 students through hands-on Explorace activities.
• Reach at least 160 family members and friends through the cascade teaching model.
• Improve students' understanding of budgeting, saving, loans, and financial planning.
• Increase students' confidence in applying mathematics to everyday financial decisions.
• Strengthen teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills among participants.
• Encourage greater interest in mathematics and STEM-related education.
• Create sustainable educational resources that can be replicated in future community programmes.