Checkmate: from 2019, chess will become an obligatory school subject
In 2019, Russian secondary schools plan to introduce a new compulsory for all children subject - chess. This was reported in the International Chess Club. Experts of this organization previously submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Education and presented the results of experimental educational chess projects in secondary schools in Moscow and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.
Projects that have already been implemented were highly appreciated by representatives of the Ministry of Education. Olga Vasilyeva, the head of this ministry, noted that there would be no need for the state to introduce a new subject — there are already textbooks and the necessary teaching programs.
The subject will mainly concern elementary school students. For first graders, chess will be taught 33 hours per academic year, for pupils of 2,3,4 classes - an hour more, 34 hours per year.
But even older children will be taught chess, although in the number of class hours that will remain free after the curriculum is prepared for the next year.
Experts believe that playing chess develops a child comprehensively, helps to improve his logical abilities, so that children begin to learn better, memorize more, it is easier to reproduce what has been passed before.
The most important thing a child learns at the chessboard is - analyze the situation and make the right decisions quickly. This skill will help not only in school, but also in everyday life.
The introduction of a compulsory subject does not mean that a great grandmaster will be trained from each student.
The challenge is to introduce the child to the rules of the game, teach him to understand the logic of chess. If there is a special interest, parents can always enroll the child in a chess club or section where chess is studied in more depth. But even if there is no interest, the chess board with the figures standing on it will still fulfill its developmental task.
