Aletta Shikololo
With the vision of developing critical thinking, analysis and evaluation among children, Tal’s Weekend Chess Academy (TWCA) teaches children from all regions of the country how to play chess and help them enhance their thinking capabilities.
“Chess has many educational benefits. Children who play chess or learn how to play chess develop their cognitive abilities like concentration, memory, creativity and imagination. Children also learn to accept responsibility for their actions and learn humility in the process as sometimes we do not make the best decisions, which result in defeat. So, this process teaches them humility in a playful manner,” says Fide instructor Max Nitzborn to Youth Corner.
Apart from children from Khomas Region who practise chess at the academy, TWCA also has a footprint in Rehoboth where it provides professional chess lessons to learners.
According to Nitzborn, the biggest challenge is to convince educators to make chess a compulsory subject in schools.
“If the Namibia Chess Federation can achieve that, there will be a greater number of children playing and the sport will grow much faster. The school facilities are a great platform to introduce chess to children. Once they know the basics they are set for a world of fascinating chess.
”Those who excel and want to take it up as a sport can be trained by professional chess coaches. The chess players who practise chess need to work hard to improve,” he said, adding that corporate sponsorship is also a vital element for the development of chess. “Without funding, you cannot achieve
much.”