26 July 2017

Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Proposes Adding Chess to the School Curriculum

Olga Vasilyeva met with Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. 

Photo: Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Photo: Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
According to Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Olga Vasilyeva, chess lessons should be obligatory within the framework of an extracurricular activity at schools.   

«I am completely convinced that chess should be present at every school from the 1st class. Chess is accessible, it doesn’t require heavy expenses and gives a basis for an intellectual development of a child. Parents support the idea. When children play chess, they show absolutely different results in education», said Olga Vasilyeva at the meeting with FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.  

Olga Vasilyeva underlined that school curriculum should not be overloaded: chess has to become an obligatory part of facultative studies. 

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov: «Programmes of studying chess at schools are working in 180 countries. FIDE does its best to maintain chess education in Russia on a high level».  

The Russian Chess Federation supports this initiative in every possible way. Togerther with Elena and Gennady Timchenko Charitable Foundation the RCF implements Chess in Schools programme, and new regions join it on a regular basis. A learning kit Chess School (author is Vladimir Barsky) for the 1st academic level was developed by the Federation. Now the complex for the 2nd academic level is being worked at.   

The Russian Chess Federation together with the Timchenko Foundation carry out a competition for regional chess federations to join the Chess in Schools project. This year, more regions, which will join the project, will be granted with chess equipment and learning kits Chess School.

Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation website