Philippine Government Includes Chess in Schools Curriculum
Saturday, 02 May 2009 08:23

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo approved inclusion of chess in schools curriculum in primary and secondary schools across the country. National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President Prospero Pichay and Department of Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus signed the Memorandum of Agreement the other day launching the National Chess Academy. Witnessing the signing were NCFP secretary-general Mayor Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, NCFP Director Brother Roly Dizon, NCFP Executive Director Willie Abalos and Department of Education officials.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (center) graced the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President Prospero Pichay (seated right), witnessed by NCFP Secretary General Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino and NCFP Executive Director Willy Abalos, and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jeslie Lapus (seated left) with DepEd officials.

Posing after the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement. At far left is Brother Roly Dizon, former president of the De La Salle University in Manila and member of the NCFP Board.

The NCFP Chess in Schools Committee, clockwise from left: FIDE Delegate Casto Abundo, Brother Roly Dizon, Committee Chairman Saturnino Belen, IA Bobby Bautista, GM Bong Villamayor and Coordinator Jessie Sanchez.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued the Executive Order to encourage children to play chess in accordance with the Grassroots Program of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli A. Lapus issued a memorandum entitled "Strengthening the Development of Higher Order Thinking Skills and Values Among Children Through Chess."

Secretary Lapus said that children exposed to chess learn faster and get better grades. He has ordered the integration of chess into the curriculum of grade school and high school students.

"Chess is a game that improves individual organizational and analytical skills. Children when exposed to this game at an early age achieve academically better, or even faster than those who have not been engaged in the game. Likewise, chess is among the activities that help build memory skills, concentration, self-confidence, self-esteem and in making disciplined decisions. Playing chess provides opportunities to practice such values as perseverance, honesty, and sportsmanship," Secretary Lapus stated in the Memorandum.

The Department of Education (DepEd) shall adopt chess as another strategy to promote the development of higher order thinking skills and values among Grades 3 to 6 in the Physical Education department. Chess will continue at the secondary level.

Brother Rolando Dizon , former president of the De La Salle University and member of the NCFP Board of Directors, said that the DepEd and NCFP shall conduct "Chess Training Seminar/Workshops for DepEd Coordinators" at the First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH) in Tanauan City in Batangas. FAITH president Saturnino G. Belen, Jr. who is also a member of the NCFP Board was tapped by Prospero Pichay to head the NCFP Chess in Schools Committee. Belen is also a member of the FIDE Commission on Chess In Schools.

Coordinator Jessie Sanchez announced that the seminars will be on May 7-9 and 10-12 in Tanauan; May 14-16 in Bacolod City and May 19-21 in Davao City.

Grandmaster Bong Villamayor shall lead the team of accredited lectures and supervise the examination for instructors.

In the Philippine public school system, there are around 35,000 Grade Schools and some 6,000 High Schools. There are over 2,000 private High Schools. Brother Dizon said they aim to train 35,000 chess teachers by November 2009.

Tournaments and Matches will be conducted among school children. NCFP Executive Director Willy Abalos said that the National Inter-Collegiate Championship shall be held 18-22 August at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Munoz, Nueva Ecija.

Brother Dizon said that the Philippine University Games shall be held October 23 to 26, 2009 in Bacolod City.

The Committee met with Asian Chess Federation Deputy President Casto Abundo to map out the strategy. Key to the program are training and licensing of instructors, review and endorsement of chess equipment and publications, nationwide series of tournaments and matches between schools and establishment of chess clubs throughout the archipelago.
randprix.fide.com

Expat Chess Camp 2009 Invitation

Chess - a game to grow up with

Monday, 09 March 2009 00:23
World Conference on chess in schools, 25th – 27th February 2009, in Turin, Italy

The Role of Chess in the Development of Personality and Cognitive CapacitiesTeaching Chess in schools: a comparison among different methods and Experiences
Torino, Italy, February 25-27, 2009
The conference was organized by Prof. Roberto Rivello, President of the Piedmont Committee of Italian Chess Federation, with the assistence of Alessandro Dominici (Savigliano Chess Club).
The participants of the International conference discussed the problem of proposing to the local Governments to include "Chess", as a subject, in School Essential Program. It is supposed that chess can be a powerful tool for children, and many studies by scientific groups and researchers demonstrated it.


Tian Hongwei, the translator, Marley J. Kaplan, Uvencio Blanco
Experience has shown that bringing chess lessons in schools allows children to increase the level of logical reasoning, forces children make decision by themselves, develops ability to study and to make actions "in mind". Finally these upsides increase children' school educational progress in basic essential school program.
Chess as new educational subject is capable to make the quality of education grow up. The conference had the goal to make an up-to-date picture of teaching chess in school in the world. In Turkey and USA, for example, chess are taught to many children and there is the help of the governments.

Uvencio Blanco, Giovanna Pentenero, Roberto Rivello (chairman), Alì Nihat Yazici and Flavio Brugnoli
As far as Italy, where chess are considered a "sport" and included inside the National Sport Olympic Committee (in Italian: CONI), chess are also taught in the school but they are not in the essential programs of the morning. In any case about 200.000 children yearly follow the chess lessons. The request of learning chess in Italy is very high and sometimes the real problem is to find ... the teachers!
The organizers received a very important message by the Italian Minister of Education, where you can read that Italian Government regards chess as higly instructive and character building and will encourage the spread of chess in school.


The world conference in Turin had a great success. People from all over the world come; we can mention chessplayers and teachers from many countries of Europe (Croatia, England, France, Germany, Russia, Slovenia), from USA, China, Egypt, Turkey, Venezuela: Ali Nihat Yazici (President of Turkish Chess Federation, FIDE Vice-President), prof. Uvencio Blanco H. (Chairman of the FIDE Committee on Chess in Schools), Mrs Marley J. Kaplan, President and chief executive officer "Chess in schools" New York, prof. Fernand Gobet (Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Director of the Centre for the Study of Expertise at Brunel University, West London), prof. Philippe Chassy (Researcher on Psychology – University of Toulouse), Tian Hongwei (Chinese Chess Federation), Gihan El Sahhar (Egypt Chess Federation).
Among the Italian speakers we have to mention the important scientific journalist Piero Angela (Italian Television RAI) one of the most famous in Italy - he is also a chess fan.
Article and photos by Adolivio Capece

CHESS CAMP at Palma Beach Resort in Umm Al Quwain

The Expat Chess Club (ECC) under the auspices of UAE Chess Federation will conduct a FREE Chess Clinic, an Introduction to Chess for beginners and FREE Orientation regarding some changes in FIDE Chess Tournament Rules for the benefits of all chess enthusiast. The event is set to kick-off on February 27, 2009, Friday, from 2:00 - 6:00 P.M. at Palma Beach Resort in Umm Al Quwain.

One of the highlight in this chess camp is the exhibition match of Filipina chess players Anita Valerio (13), her sister Carissa Joy Valerio (11) from Sharjah against Jordanian chess players Saed Alaghbar (13) and his sister Sabina Alaghbar (9) of Umm Al Quwain. They will showcase their talent in chess in an exciting two on two scheveningen system on the Giant Chess Board.

Another exciting features in this event is the simultaneous chess exhibition game of Axel Valerio (14 years old) against 20 chess players. Axel, a Filipino chess prodigy from Sharjah started playing chess at the age of 6 years old. He gained his FIDE Rating at the age of 11 and presently holding a "Champion" title of two prestigious event in United Arab Emirates; The UAE U-14 Open Individual Chess Tournament held in Sharjah and the annual Abu Dhabi Chess Festival Open Individual Chess Tournament (U-16 Category) held last year in Abu Dhabi.

The objective of this event is to promote the game of chess to all expatriate, likewise enhance the skill of expat chess players residing in Umm Al Quwain.

For further details, please contact the organizer @ 050-8618734 or e-mail at info.expatchess@gmail.com