Actitudes y habilidades financieras entre estudiantes universitarios y secundarios del cantón La Maná

Objective: The present study analyzed the financial attitudes and skills of secondary and university students in the La Maná canton, with the aim of identifying economic behavior patterns and their entrepreneurial potential, within the framework of the recent inclusion of financial education in the Ecuadorian national curriculum. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive-comparative approach was used, based on a structured survey administered to a sample of 314 students. The instrument measured attitudes toward saving, practical financial skills, self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial orientation, using four-point Likert scales. Results: The findings revealed a positive attitude toward saving and financial planning, although weaknesses persisted in the use of digital tools, price comparison, and investment analysis. More than 59% of students expressed interest in entrepreneurship, but only 43.7% received formal financial education, and most had limited knowledge of business plans. Conclusions: A gap was identified between financial intention and action, which limits young people’s economic autonomy. These results underscore the need to strengthen financial education programs with a practical focus, integrated with entrepreneurial training and contextualized to territorial realities such as La Maná, where structural challenges affect youth economic development. The study offers implications for educational policies, as well as future lines of research on financial literacy in rural contexts.