More than three years ago a tripartite agreement was signed in Port-of-Spain to set up a chess-in-schools programme in the country.
The parties to this pact were FIDE, the world chess body, the Ministry of Education and the Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association. The plan was to launch the project in county Victoria from where it would be expanded, incrementally, to the rest of the nation. The sad fact is, this worthwhile plan to introduce the celebrated mind game to T&T’s schools apparently never got off the ground. As far as DR could determine, the reasons had to do largely with differences of opinion plus the lack of enthusiasm among those assigned the task of starting it.
Well, where this ambitious tripartite plan has apparently failed, another seems to be scoring an impressive success. DR is now happy to report on the progress being made by the Point Fortin Rotary Club in both its Chess-in-Schools programme and the chess club it has launched recently. The PFCC, which has already established a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, held its first in-house tournament last month. In preparation for this event, the 32 participating students had spent several weeks playing against each other.
Both the children and many of their parents are participants in the club’s 16-week training programme which ends next month. Commenting on the tournament, Edison Raphael, one of the trainers, noted favourably on the number of parents who also stayed with their children after the contest to get an idea of the dynamics of the game. Raphael was also pleased to see the number of girls taking part since, as he said, chess is mainly viewed as a male dominated sport.
DR is impressed not only with the all-round enthusiasm which propels this project but also by the keen interest of its originator Raymond Aaron past president of the Rotary Club of Point Fortin, its project co-ordinator Dr Jo-Anne Sewlal and committee member Tessa Solomon. As its pioneering overseers, the three are fully aware of the benefits the project can confer as an adjunct to the education process. Apart from assisting students in basic subjects as mathematics and English, chess also helps in building social skills such as respect for authority, sportsmanship, rules and regard for fother players.
The in-house tournament, a highlight of the training programme, was described as “a wonderful exercise and experience for participants of all ages.” The event also made sporting history of a kind in Point Fortin, drawing its participants from schools of the region. As such, DR is happy to announce the tournament winners: Boys: Mesach Nathaniel, Israel Andrews, Nykel Peters, Jadon Hackett, Akili Oliver.
Girls: Karimah Thompson, Lachey Sylvester, Hasaidah Jeffrey, Njideka Jeffrey, Zoe John.
Adults: Tricia Cato, Latoya Jeffrey, Belinda George. Rotaract winner Shedron Collins.
The initial success of this chess-in-schools project is clearly the result of the informed and amicable collaboration between the Point Fortin Rotary Club on the one hand and two predominant chess training organisations on the other, the T&T Chess Foundation led by Edison Raphael assisted by Carlyle Singh and the Grant Memorial Presbyterian School Chess Club led by David Martin. These three experienced facilitators have established a record of success in the training of young chess players and are now aiding the Rotary effort at Point Fortin.
The project, as DR was informed, also allows for collaboration among junior arms of Rotary International. Members of the Rotaract Club also assisted in the “Introduction to Chess” session and some members have also .volunteered to help as trainers.
The vision for this pioneering project, as expressed by Aaron and his committee, is to extend it to other Rotary Clubs in the country, “making it a nationwide and, hopefully, a Caribbean-wide initiative through the Rotary movement.”
This chess-in-schools plan of Point Fortin Rotary is, of course, a consummation devoutly to be wished. DR offers the effort his fullest support.