"Physical development is very important. That’s why there are lessons on physical education but it is also important to develop one’s mind, logic and intuition. That's why chess is necessary in the school curriculum. It teaches one to be organized, to plan ahead and to think strategically," said a member of Commission on physical culture and promotion of a healthy lifestyle Sergei Karjakin.
"We need to apply to Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation with a proposal to include Chess Olympiad in the All-Russia Schoolchildren Olympiad," said First Deputy Chairman of the Civic Chamber Commission on education and science of the Russian Federation Lyudmila Dudova.
She drew particular attention to training as the part of introduction of chess. Dudova also suggested that the Ministry include Chess Olympiad for the primary level in the list of all-Russian school Olympiads (as the only meta-subject).
"There are 42000 schools in our country and we would like to see a chess club for children of different ages at every school in each school year. The next stage is the introduction of chess lessons that cover the whole school," said Director of Department of state policy in the area of education of children and youth of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation Igor Mikheev.
According to him, training materials have already been developed. Moreover, Minister of Education Olga Vasilyeva advocates five free circles of additional education in schools and chess is among them.
During the speech, the President of the International Chess Federation Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said that he positively assesses the prospects of chess education and FIDE is ready to help with the introduction of mandatory chess lessons in Russian schools.
"Chess is very necessary in school: not that we grow champions of the world but that we can develop a versatile personality," Ilyumzhinov said.
In turn, the first deputy chairman of the Commission on family, maternity and childhood support Yulia Zimova told about a proposal to introduce chess lessons into the plan of the Decade of Childhood, which was suggested in the Public Chamber earlier.
In conclusion, Natalia Pochinok suggested creating a working group for development of chess education and socialization headed by Sergey Karyakin under the auspices of the Civic Chamber.