Chess added to school curriculum in Iraq's Kurdistan Region

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Chess has been officially incorporated into the school curriculum in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) said in a report on its website. The initiative was carried out by the Erbil-based Hanzad Chess Club in cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Education and with support from the Iraqi Chess Federation. Under the new program, chess classes have begun for seventh, eighth and ninth-grade students. A 15-page section on chess was also added to the official physical education teacher guidebook, and 150 physical education teachers in Erbil received a one-week training course delivered by the club's international instructors. Delzar Hema Salih Kadir, president of the Hanzad Chess Club, prepared the chess curriculum and teaching materials for the schools. FIDE described chess as more than a sport, saying it develops critical thinking, concentration, creativity and problem-solving skills. The federation called the initiative a significant achievement for the Kurdistan Region and said it could serve as a model for expanding chess education across Iraq. No further details on a nationwide rollout were immediately available.