JA Asia Pacific: Cha-Ching Curriculum

Co-developed by Prudence Foundation and JA Asia Pacific, Cha-Ching Curriculum introduces economic concepts for students aged seven to twelve. The program emphasizes economic and social studies content while providing a strong focus on finance, mathematics, planning and analytical skills. Students are encouraged to use critical thinking skills to make decisions on how to manage money applying four key concepts: Earn, Save, Spend and Donate in their daily lives.

These four concepts support positive attitudes as students explore and enhance their money-management skills in the classroom and beyond. Through a variety of hands-on activities and technological supplements designed to support differentiated learning styles, students develop a better understanding of the relationship between what they learn at school and their successful participation in a worldwide economy.

At its core, Cha-Ching consists of a series of music videos featuring six lively characters, which helps children understand the fundamental money-management concepts. The six characters are members of the Cha-Ching band, each with a different approach to money management. Cha-Ching music videos feature catchy songs with lyrics and enhanced subtitles that children can sing along to, aiding comprehension and retention.

The episodes air on Cartoon Network, the number one children’s channel in Asia, in eight markets: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Offered in nine languages, the program now has over over four million views.

Also used extensively by teachers in the classroom, the Cha-Ching Curriculum has now been endorsed by the Ministry of Education of the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand and Vietnam. To date, over 500,000 students have experienced the Cha-Ching Curriculum, with more than 10,000 teachers trained.