On 2 September, Russian students will sit at their desks. Children are now preparing hard for the first school day. Parents hurry to buy everything that is needed for school. But what about chess? Is it in demand in stores? Of course, everyone that we asked said yes. Chess lessons are included in the compulsory school curriculum. Starting 1 September, Russian first graders will begin to learn the ancient intellectual game.It is reported that the new subject will not create an additional burden on students. Chess lessons will replace every third physical education lesson, which many teachers and parents criticized as excessive.
The sixth president of FIDE singled out the Chess in schools project as one of the priorities for the World Chess Federation. Kirsan Nikolaevich says that, according to statistics, chess lessons increase students’ performance by 35-40%. Intellectual sports contribute to the development of analytic, planning and quick thinking skills.
Ilyumzhinov congratulates teachers, students and parents on the new school year.
“On Knowledge Day, I wish students new discoveries and chess records. I wish teachers creative successes and parents to be proud of the children’s achievements. Today, I am deeply satisfied that all schools will have chess lessons,” said Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
“A man learns all his life. We learn ourselves and we try to teach others. We always remember our teachers and school mentors. We are grateful to them for their kindness and for everything that they taught us,” Ilyumzhinov said.
“I am sure that teaching chess will help schoolchildren improve academic performance in all subjects,” Kirsan Nikolaevich emphasized.
