The programme provides one lesson per week and at least 33 lessons per year. In December 2017 and in May 2018, children will undergo a psychological examination: cognitive and intellectual abilities -- memory, mental development, attention and thinking -- will be assessed. City competitions among preschool children and first-graders will be held in April and May.
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, being the President of Kalmykia, through his decree introduced mandatory chess lessons into the school curriculum. After that, everybody noted that the children learned much better. Children’s performance increased by 40%. Chess lessons have paid off. Today Elista is considered the chess capital of Russia.
The chess capital of the Southern Urals is Satka. They actively spread their methodology in this region, which resulted in Zlatoust, Miass and Magnitogorsk joining the project.
The project was initiated in Magnitogorsk on September 1, 2017. Educational institutions will be involved in this project in successive phases over three years. Chess classes have already been introduced in 45 kindergartens as part of the basic educational programme. Chess is being taught in additional classes in 20 schools. Not only chessboards, pieces and other equipment have been already purchased but also a full methodical complex, which includes teaching resources and workbooks for children.
