Chess in schools in Moldova was given green light

 

In recent years students of chess school in Moldova show consistently high results on the international arena, regardless of kind of competitions they are competing in: the international classification tournaments, the European Championships, the World Championships or the World Chess Olympiads. We are proud to have leading Grandmaster such as Victor Bologan, Viorel  Iordachescu, Almira Skripchenko, Svetlana Petrenko, Karolina Smokina and on an equal basis with them and our young talented chess masters Irina Bulmaga, Diana Baciu, who represent our country at various chess forums.
And I would like to stress once again that our leading chess players are the pupils of the program "chess in schools", which was carried out in the schools in Chisinau and in several other cities and districts with the approval of the Ministry of Education of the former Moldavian SSR from 1981 until the collapse of the former Soviet empire.

After our republic became independent, Moldova Chess Federation directed its activities to continue the mass chess education in the schools and create a reliable source of education of young talents.

Together with a team of the Chess Club, Chess CYSC № 7 in Chisinau, in Balti and other cities and districts, we manage to give chess lessons in schools on a voluntary basis, thanks to the initiative of chess enthusiasts. However, taking into account the enormous influence of chess on the all-around development and upbringing of children, we never lose hope that the relevant organizations and government will support us to resolve the issue of resuming the process of "chess in schools", which has rapidly implemented in such countries as USA, Russia, Canada, China, Spain, Peru, Brazil, France, Germany, India and many others.

But it was the Chess Federation of Moldova who was the founder of the introduction "chess in schools". The program started in 1966, and this fact was confirmed at the 68^th International FIDE Congress, held in Chisinau in 1997 and there were the representatives of 112 national federations from all over the world.

To resume "chess in schools" in our country, Chess Federation of Moldova prepared the necessary documents and sent them to the Government of Moldova for consideration. We believed that this issue would be resolved in favor of our children, but in the fact we did not expect that it would be resolved in such a short period of time, we could only dream about it. But our dreams have come true.

Most recently, the Government of the Republic of Moldova, considered the petition of Moldova Chess Federation and reviewed all the submitted papers, adopted a Resolution № 22 dated March 16 "On some measures of chess sports promoting in the Republic of Moldova". It states in part: to consider the promotion of chess sports as one of the priorities of the sport development in the Republic of Moldova. The Ministry of Education and Youth have to include chess module in the curriculum of school discipline "Physical Education", with effect since 2009-2010 school year. For that purpose to establish a coordinating council for the implementation of the chess study program in the national education system.

There are many other decisions in that Resolution which are entrusted jointly to the Ministry of Education and Youth, the Agency of Sports and Chess Federation of Moldova.

I take the opportunity to appeal to all chess federations in cities and districts of our republic, to all Grandmaster and masters, to chess experts and trainers together with the municipal and district departments of Education and Sports to involve actively in solution of the issue so that children in our republic could start learning to play chess from the new school year.

It will be necessary to arrange short-term training courses for trainers and teachers to conduct classes in schools and to resolve the issue of acquisition of the required number of chess sets and demonstration boards by each school.

It is necessary for Chess Federation to resolve the issue of the publication of the required number of methodological and educational chess literature. Trainers and teachers will be guided by these literature in the development of the program and the plan to conduct chess classes in schools.

It is also necessary to include additional chess competitions in the calendar plan, which will encourage young chess-players to achieve the goal.

I think that many chess players and chess experts, chess school trainers will provide the necessary assistance and support to municipal and regional departments of education in facilitating the chess educational process of children. And they will start to teach our children to play chess and this will be their personal example.

This way we show our love and respect for the Chess, and we will promote the generation of our country, and of course the search for the young chess talents who will not only achieve the results of our leading players, but also surpass them. From 1 September 2009, I will personally go to Chisinau school № 29 and start teaching first formers to play chess.

With respect and hope for your support and assistance in this important endeavor.
Fedor Skripchenko
The General Secretary of Chess Federation of Moldova
Honorary Chess coach of Moldova
Please download the Resolution in PDF format.
On the picture:
Chess in schools in Chisinau (1984)

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