Sandile Xulu reports:
On
Tuesday 2nd September 2014 the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Ms
Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni expressed a wish that, in each and every new school to
be built in the Province of KwaZulu Natal, there will be a garden
chess set.
Speaking to students, educators and business persons at Stanger South High School in Ilembe District, the MEC announced that she wants chess to be rolled out to all schools in KZN. She was talking in the school assembly before walking into a classroom where grade 10 students had their first chess lesson. It was a first-hand experience of ‘classroom chess’ for the MEC as well. As part of her visit to the school, the MEC donated scientific calculators to further enhance mathematics and motivate students to take science subjects.
President Jacob Zuma has repeatedly made a call in support of chess being introduced to all schools in South Africa. Through his own initiative, the Jacob G. Zuma Foundation, President Zuma has launched a program called ‘Chess-in-Schools’ which will see many schools benefit from having a school chess program.
KZN Chess Association President Sandile Xulu together with Ilembe Chess Association chairperson Welcome Gwamanda conducted the chess lessons. Problem was, students were so interested in chess that they did not want the session to end!
The MEC donated some chess sets to help the school start their own chess program. Business people also pledged-in their support to make sure that chess becomes a success story in Stanger South High School.
