The
official launch of the Moves for Life programme
By IM Watu Kobese, Trustee
The Moves for Life chess programme was launched in a gala dinner,
where heavy hitters in politics, business and chess circles were in attendance.
The honorable State President, Mr. Jacob Zuma, was the main speaker. The Minister
of Education, Mrs. Angie Motshekga, deputy Minister of Sports and Recreation
Mr. Gert Oosthuizen, were ministers that graced the occasion. The business
community was represented by CEOs from the mining, engineering, manufacturing,
IT and tool making industries, to name but a few. These captains of industry
were there to announce their continued financial support of the programme, as
well as to pledge monies for the near future. FIDE was represented by the Vice
President and Chairman of Chess in Schools, Mr. Ali Nihat Yazici and African
Union Vice President Mr. Lewis Ncube. The South African Chess Federation, Chessa,
was represented by its President Emilia Ellapen and some of the members in the
executive.
Announcements
The President of South Africa, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
President Zuma announced his support and recognition of chess as a problem-solving
training activity. He highlighted the cognitive development and advancement
in ability as some of the gains that young learners will derive from chess.
“It is an important game in many aspects, the main benefit being that it contributes
to the development of strategic thinking as well as concentration, analytical
skills and problem solving.” A drive to have chess in all schools in South
Africa will be further strengthened by the President’s willing and helping hand.
“We will play our part as government. Both the Departments of Basic Education
as well as Sports and Recreation are involved and already working to promote
the game.” He announced his patronage to the Moves for Life programme, which
he commended for being uniquely South African.
The Minister of Education Angie Motshekga stressed her undying belief in the
educational benefits of structured chess. As a chess-mom, the metamorphosis
that a youngster undergoes is to her evident. She announced support from her
department and mentioned that teacher chess training will be one of the outcomes
from her department next year.
South African Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga
Mr. Yazici, who is a specialist for chess in schools, pledged the support that
FIDE would give to the programme. He explained the approach that has been implemented
in the hugely successful Turkish chess programme: “With cooperation, you will
learn from some of our challenges, and not repeat some of the mistakes.”
Moves for Life
The custodian of the Moves for Life programme is the Supreme Chess Trust, a
registered public beneficiary organization. This Trust provides the necessary
governance for funds that can be sponsored or donated towards the roll-out of
the Moves for Life programme. The SCT was started in 2008 by Mrs. Marisa van
der Merwe, IM Watu Kobese and Mr. Mickey Scheepers, as a community outreach
project from the sports academy of Waterkloof High School. It has grown from
strength to strength, and more trustees who are leaders in their fields have
since joined. The main idea of the Moves for Life programme is to teach and
train chess, not necessarily as a sport, but a logic and lateral thinking training
intervention for maths and science education. The spin-offs for all other
areas including chess as a sport will obviously be nurtured. Two legs to the
MFL programme are mini-chess and master moves programme. Mini-chess focuses
on grades one, two and three. Teachers are trained and provided with necessary
material for fun and easy lessons to give to six to eight-year-olds.
The President with members of Chessa and FIDE.Back row: Lynne van Rensburg
(CHESSA Secretary), Lyndon Bouah (CHESSA Vice President), Lewis Ncube (FIDE
Vice President); front row: Brian Aitchison (CHESSA Executive Director), Emelia
Ellappen (CHESSA President), President Jacob Zuma (President of South Africa),
Ali Nihat Yazici (FIDE Vice President, FIDE Chess in Schools Commission President
and Turkish Chess Federation President).
A very unique feature of this curriculum is the innovative and exciting manner
in which basic maths and science concepts are taught to young children. This
is indeed not surprising; unfortunately there has been a limited effort around
the world to using the educational strengths to place chess in a powerful position.
The master moves programme teaches individuals with a strong chess back round
how to teach chess. The emphasis is on the development of a structured appreciation
and understanding of fundamental theories. This will help the students to also
use this process to tackle such a structure in fields of higher learning.
Areas of involvement
The MFL programme is involved in all but three provinces in South Africa. We
have introduced in these areas either the mini-chess or master moves programme.
The Uitkyk Mamelodi and Eesterust programme is the only fully sponsored project
till now. This Pretoria based programme has been sponsored for five years starting
in 2008. Mr. Ramokhufi, a headmaster from Zamintuthuko primary school in Mamelodi,
wrote about the outputs of learners in the programme. Here are some of his findings:
“The learners are showing interest and improvement in mathematics,” he also
states, “and learners are showing improvement in their level of confidence.” This
after only one year in the programme!
The President with trustees of the Supreme Chess Trust
Marcel Roberts
There have been so many chess talents that have not realized their full potential
in Africa. The reason for this failure has been lack of a proper support structure.
The trustees of the Supreme Chess Trust thus took a decision to offer a scholarship
to a chess potential. Marcel Roberts has been sponsored for schooling in one
of the top academic schools in South Africa. He also receives chess training
and support for international tournaments. He won the South African u/14 title
and is currently playing in the u/14 World Juniors in Greece. We plan to afford
more of these opportunities to previously disadvantaged youngsters.
Funding
An integral ingredient to the advancement of our course is obviously funding.
We are working tirelessly to raise the profile for chess, source sponsors and
funding from various groups and institutions. It would help if you could sponsor,
donate or put us in touch with potential sponsors or donors. This
is our website.
Remarks by His Excellency President Jacob Zuma
at the Gala Dinner of Moves for Life Chess Programme
It is with a great deal of pleasure that I address this launch of the Moves
for Life Chess Programme. As some of you may know, chess is very close to my
heart and I regard this game very highly both as a player and a spectator. This
evening’s function confirms that this game is now being taken seriously
by decision makers in the sports and education fields in our country.
I agreed to be a patron and attend this launch because I believe that the
time has come for us to mainstream chess as a sport in our country. Contrary
to popular belief, chess is a serious sport, and it is a game that young people
should be encouraged to take part in. It is an important game in many respects,
the main benefit being that it contributes to the development of strategic thinking
as well as concentration, analytical skills and problem solving. These are traits
that are very important for school going children.
Chess is by far one of the oldest and most played games in the world. It cuts
across intellectual, age and language barriers and can therefore be enjoyed
by people from across the world. It has stood the test of time, and even new
technology-driven games have not killed the game of chess, which makes veteran
players like myself very happy.
I learned to play chess under unfavourable conditions, while on Robben Island
serving a ten year prison sentence. Political prisoners used to sustain and
strengthen themselves during incarceration through sports like soccer, rugby,
table tennis, mrabaraba, bridge, patience and casino card games as well as chess.
We used to make chess boards from thin cardboard and chess pieces from corks.
Given the opportunity, I would have loved to learn how to play at an earlier
stage of my life. That is because knowing how to play the game can prove to
be invaluable for any young person. That is why we want to convince parents
and teachers that chess is one of the most powerful educational tools available
to strengthen and enhance a child’s mind.
No amount of video games can teach a child the same level of patience, strategic
thinking, concentration, analytical skills and the attention to detail that
they would gain from this timeless intellectual game.
A successful chess player will not only successfully analyse the situation
in front of him or her, but will draw lessons from a host of previous actions.
Chess therefore enhances the ability to make thoughtful, considered, strategic
decisions under pressure. These are the same skills that are essential for effective
examination performance at school, and also for decision making when one is
entrusted with serious leadership positions at work or in the community.
Most importantly, the fact that advanced chess players demonstrate increased
expertise in the making of tough and abstract decisions, makes them excel in
subjects such as mathematics. The reason is that chess helps one to significantly
improve memory. This skill can easily be transferred to subjects where memory
is necessary such as mathematics. As government, we will promote this game in
schools so that we can ensure that children who enter grade one matriculate
with Mathematics as a subject.
Honoured guests, it is evident that chess is more than just a game or a hobby.
It is a way of life. You will then understand why we are encouraging young people
to play chess at an early age.
In summary, the benefits that accumulate from the teaching and promotion of
chess in schools include the following:
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The game teaches patience. You have to give the opponent time and space
to think and make his or her own move.
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It teaches that a decision must be an outcome of a serious thought process.
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Chess teaches discipline, for example as chess players would know, “touch
is a move”. When you touch, you must move, you have to be disciplined.
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Chess teaches fairness. You alert the opponent before you strike, and
keep them informed of your moves and intentions.
Players know that once the king is under threat you alert your opponent by
saying “check”. When you are convinced that he or she can no longer
protect the king, you say “checkmate” to indicate that you have
closed the game. This decorum will teach the children that an opponent during
a sports game is not an enemy but just a contestant that they must cooperate
with. They will learn to deal with opposition of any kind in a mature and tolerant
way.
These are benefits that should make us all promote this important game to
our youth. They should also make us support Chess SA in their endeavours to
develop and promote the sport nationally, including in our rural areas. Government
and the private sector need to work together to create a culture where chess
can be used as both an educational and motivational tool for children. We will
play our part as government. Both the Departments of Basic Education as well
as Sports and Recreation are involved and already working to promote the game.
I thank all who are working hard to promote chess in schools and our communities.
We look forward to working with you to make this game to grow from strength
to strength. We congratulate the Supreme Chess Trust in particular for the Moves
for Life programme, which is being launched this evening. It has helped to kickstart
this national focus on chess.
Working together, we can make learning a lot of fun for children, while investing
in their intellectual development for the common good of the nation.
I Thank You.
