A Hong Kong primary school’s pupils get a feel of a stock exchange.

A visit to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by more than 50 primary students on a study tour surprised visitors there from Thailand.

One of their teachers told them students had to learn many things, even at primary and secondary level.

She wants her students to know how the stock exchange works and recognise its significance to Hong Kong.

More than half of all Hong Kong people trade shares, and that's why students are encouraged to pay attention to the markets and financial investment.

The students appeared interested in an exhibition on the exchange and real-time information about stock-trading being shown on computer monitors.

"It's very good to have students know the stock exchange. I would like the Stock Exchange of Thailand to provide interesting exhibitions that arouse students' interest, such as I see in Hong Kong," said Hathaiwan Ruaypom, a Srinakharinwirot University student on a study tour to the Hong Kong exchange earlier this month.

Field trips

Eddy Lam is head of investor services and corporate communications at the Hong Kong exchange. He says it has many visits from schoolchildren during the summer. They come to learn the history of securities markets and how exchanges operate and to watch trading.

Study tours to the exchange are among several activities schools can involve students in if they want to learn about the financial system.

Workshops

The Securities and Futures Commission has workshops for secondary-school business and economics teachers, courses for university students, school talks on personal financial management and games and flash video about investment.

"Workshops can be a very good channel to give the latest information to teachers," says Patrick Li, the commission's external-relations chief.

Hong Kong's Institute of Financial Planners runs presentations that teach students about financial security. It holds workshops for teachers with the commission and assists with personal financial management lessons in schools. "So far we have 20 secondary schools, or about 4,000 students who have seen the presentation. We'll visit another 60 this year. We will tour every secondary school in Hong Kong within three years," says Angela O, the institute's senior marketing manager.