Mato Grosso do Sul signs partnership with Sicredi to expand financial education in state schools

On 15 May, the government of Brazil's Mato Grosso do Sul state and the Sicredi cooperative signed a cooperation agreement to introduce financial‑education and cooperativism programmes in the state's public schools. The deal will bring established initiatives such as “A União Faz a Vida”, “Finanças na Mochila” and “Cooperativas Escolares” to classrooms, aiming to improve students’ financial literacy, citizenship and youth protagonism.

Governor Eduardo Riedel said the partnership aligns with the state's education strategy, complementing recent investments in school infrastructure, teacher training and digital connectivity. He noted that Mato Grosso do Sul now has one of Brazil's largest full‑time school networks, with 63 % of schools operating on that model, and that technical‑course enrollment rose from 16 % to 45 % of high‑school students in 2023.

Sicredi Central President Celso Ronaldo Raguzzoni Figueira described the agreement as an expansion of programmes that already operate in other regions, reinforcing the cooperative’s commitment to education as a pillar of community development.