Forum: Age of children should be considered for e-payments
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I refer to the article “Students in S’pore schools embrace switch to e-payments, welcome speed and ease of transactions” (Feb 6).
The POSB Smart Buddy programme aims to inculcate financial literacy in a school setting, but I am surprised that it does not differentiate between the developmental stages of children in primary schools and teenagers in secondary school and above.
Children are concrete learners and find it harder to think properly in terms of abstract concepts.
Therefore, handling concrete objects as far as possible is important for them to stimulate their senses for information processing. This includes using cash to concretise the abstract concept of financial literacy.
The best way to teach children about the limitations of resources is through a dwindling wallet, not clinical digits that fluctuate electronically.
Electronic payments may be cost-effective for the vendors but the impact of the practice on the developmental learning journey of children should also be considered.
Lai Yew Chan
