Moldova is one of the countries that most actively promote the inclusion of chess in the school curriculum in accordance with the relevant Declaration adopted by the European Parliament. President of the European Chess Union Silvio Danailov, in a news conference at IPN, said that chess in Moldova is developed, but new generations of chess players should be prepared. The official visited Moldova in order to promote the development of chess at European level.
Silvio Danailov said the Declaration on the Introduction of “Chess in School” Program in the education systems of the EU was insistently promoted last year and is now implemented. Moldova achieved good results.
“Today I had high-ranking meetings, including with President Nicolae Timofti. They told me everywhere that the development of chess will be supported in Moldova. We will support your country at financial and logistics levels. We promote chess and do not allow political influence on it. Next year, the legendary chess player Garry Kasparov will visit Moldova to show his support,” said Silvio Danailov.
Great international master Garry Kasparov is in the U.S. now. In a live appearance during the conference held in Chisinau, he said that chess should be included in the school program for children as it plays an important role in the intellectual development of people. “I understood that chess helps the children from socially deprived families to become more confident and to assert themselves,” he stated.
National Chess Academy manager general Ion Girnet said that chess develops slowly in Moldova because there are no skilled teachers. Twenty teachers of chess from both banks of the Nistru were trained within a project financed by the EU and UNDP. They now train 600 children. More teachers will be prepared through online programs.
According to Ion Garnet, chess will be introduced in schools and kindergartens. In schools it will be optional. The National Chess Academy and the Ministry of Education worked out a school curriculum that includes the chess subject. They are waiting for its approval.
