Financial Education to Encourage Saving Habits Among Students at State Elementary School 001 Merapun

Edukasi Keuangan untuk Mendorong Kebiasaan Menabung Siswa SD Negeri 001 Merapun

Abstract

Financial education initiatives serve as a means to introduce financial management to children of school age. As part of the KKN 52 program by Mulawarman University in Merapun Village (Kelay District, Berau Regency), a financial education session titled "Encouraging Savings" was conducted for sixth-grade students at SD Negeri 001 Merapun. The activity aimed to foster an understanding of the importance of saving and basic pocket money management, while also encouraging students to cultivate a saving habit. A total of 67 students participated in the event, which featured material presentations, Q&A sessions, ice-breaking activities, interactive discussions, and a demonstration on making piggy banks from used bottles. To assess changes in understanding and participant response, pre-tests and post-tests were administered before and after the session. Pre-test results indicated that the majority of students were already familiar with the concept of saving; 65 students (97.01%) understood what saving entailed, and all participants viewed it as an important activity. Following the session, all participants expressed interest in saving and reported a better understanding of its importance. Specifically, 63 students (94.03%) expressed a desire to start saving, 62 (92.54%) wanted to continue saving, and 63 (94.03%) stated they would begin practicing the habit of saving. These results demonstrate that interactive educational activities can elicit a positive response and boost student motivation to save. However, sustaining this habit requires ongoing support from schools, teachers, and families.