Former world champion says chess a perfect tool to prepare the young generation for the challenges of modern education.
TIRANA, March 24 – Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov held a visit to Tirana Monday, invited from local authorities as part of the innovation program Sport in School in an effort to promote chess in the country’s schools.
Albania launched a project to include chess in the school curricula, a program which will be initially introduced as a pilot project at 10 schools.
Kasparov visited a school and also met with top government officials, including Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Kasparov said that chess is a perfect tool to prepare the young generation for the challenges of modern education.
“I firmly believe that chess belongs to the education system, and it will help to meet the challenges of modern education of the 21st century,” he said. “It is almost a perfect tool for primary school children to prepare their minds to face the challenges of modern education.”
Rama said he considered the project as a major step toward progress, convinced that its inclusion in the education process was a direct investment in increasing the capacity of the human capital of the next generation.
“We are very keen to develop this project and committed to put at the disposal of this innovative program all the possible material and human capacity, starting in 10 schools,” said Rama.
Fatos Muca, Albania’s best chess player, said the program is a great opportunity for Albanian students.
“I believe we shall do a major thing with a very small investment as we do have the tradition, we have personalities, and we just need infrastructure, with small amounts of spending, and we can achieve major things,” Muca said.
