Should chess be made compulsory in schools?
Gujarat has made chess compulsory in all schools for students between seven and 17 years. Teachers there are given special training to instruct the game. Should Maharashtra Government do the same? Many members of the public support the move. But there is also a huge opposition.
The supporters of chess believe that chess will prove to be enormously beneficial to children since this game is based on mental skills. According to them the game develops intellectual agility, concentration, the capacity to plan and be swiftly decisive. They believe that these skills can improve one's personal life, organize the mind at making predictions, formulate strategy and make one move towards one's goals. According to them, chess is not just about brainpower but it also teaches etiquettes, showing how to wait with quiet patience while your opposition thinks. The game, they say, teaches as to how hierarchies operate, how each one of us, from pawn to queen, holds special powers and so on. The chess also enjoyed special place in India's history and both Indian Kings and commoners played the game, they say. So they believe that chess will bring this incredible heritage to the students who clearly have an affinity for the game.
The people who oppose the introduction of this game in school say that such a move will only compound the problem. They say that such a move will only distract the attention of the students and they will ignore important activities like reading, writing and maths. Indian education system is already grappling with issues like lack of schools and basic infrastructure, books, less teachers, lower attendance, teacher-pupil ration etc. and so this idea of making chess compulsory in schools will only add considerably to already existing problems. They refuse to agree that chess improves the cognitive skill of students since after a survey it was found that chess grandmasters were found to possess average cognitive skills and memory outside the game. Their extraordinary skills remains confined only to the game of chess, they say. They are of the opinion that the game of chess has less to do with analytical skills and more with pattern-recognition accumulated through thousands of game situations year after year. So these critics of chess believe that it is best to leave it to students to decide whether they want to pursue the game of chess. They strongly believe that no student should be forced to play chess.
Gujarat has made chess compulsory in all schools for students between seven and 17 years. Teachers there are given special training to instruct the game. Should Maharashtra Government do the same? Many members of the public support the move. But there is also a huge opposition.
The supporters of chess believe that chess will prove to be enormously beneficial to children since this game is based on mental skills. According to them the game develops intellectual agility, concentration, the capacity to plan and be swiftly decisive. They believe that these skills can improve one's personal life, organize the mind at making predictions, formulate strategy and make one move towards one's goals. According to them, chess is not just about brainpower but it also teaches etiquettes, showing how to wait with quiet patience while your opposition thinks. The game, they say, teaches as to how hierarchies operate, how each one of us, from pawn to queen, holds special powers and so on. The chess also enjoyed special place in India's history and both Indian Kings and commoners played the game, they say. So they believe that chess will bring this incredible heritage to the students who clearly have an affinity for the game.
The people who oppose the introduction of this game in school say that such a move will only compound the problem. They say that such a move will only distract the attention of the students and they will ignore important activities like reading, writing and maths. Indian education system is already grappling with issues like lack of schools and basic infrastructure, books, less teachers, lower attendance, teacher-pupil ration etc. and so this idea of making chess compulsory in schools will only add considerably to already existing problems. They refuse to agree that chess improves the cognitive skill of students since after a survey it was found that chess grandmasters were found to possess average cognitive skills and memory outside the game. Their extraordinary skills remains confined only to the game of chess, they say. They are of the opinion that the game of chess has less to do with analytical skills and more with pattern-recognition accumulated through thousands of game situations year after year. So these critics of chess believe that it is best to leave it to students to decide whether they want to pursue the game of chess. They strongly believe that no student should be forced to play chess.
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