MoE, GCF Host Successful Inter-School Chess Tournament

December 13, 2024 – The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), successfully hosted the Inter-School Chess Tournament on December 11 and 12, 2024, at Queen’s College.

The event showcased the Ministry’s dedication to holistic education by incorporating extracurricular activities that foster critical thinking, creativity, and strategic skills among students.

The tournament featured 160 participants from 15 schools, including eight under the Ministry’s Priority Areas Programme.

Students competed in a Rapid format, with each game allowing 25 minutes per player and a 10-second increment after every move.

Competitors vied for titles in three categories: Individual, Female Team, and Open Team, demonstrating their analytical and strategic acumen.

The tournament celebrated outstanding performances in all categories:

Individual Tournament Winners

1. Alexander Zhang – Queen’s College
2. Nicholas Zhang – Queen’s College
3. Javier Davenand – Marian Academy

Female Team Tournament Winners

1. Queen’s College
2. New Guyana School
3. Marian Academy

Team Tournament Winners

1. Queen’s College
2. Marian Academy
3. New Guyana School

Deputy Chief Education Officer (Technical Information), Dr. Ritesh Tularam, commended the initiative noting that this tournament exemplifies how extracurricular activities like chess complement academic studies, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and strategic decision-making in students.

Dr. Tularam emphasized the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to integrating sports and other activities into the curriculum to create well-rounded students.

Anand Raghunauth, President of the Guyana Chess Federation, expressed pride in the event’s success, noting it was the first tournament of its kind since 2019. He applauded the Ministry’s Priority Areas Programme for supporting chess education and highlighted the efforts of GCF-certified FIDE School Instructors, who have introduced over 1,000 students in Georgetown to the game over the past year.

Supported by sponsors TOPCO and Sunshine Snacks, the two-day event ran smoothly from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. Both the Ministry of Education and the GCF hailed the tournament as a resounding success and emphasized their shared goal of expanding chess programs across schools nationwide.

The Ministry congratulated all participants and winners for their exceptional performances and looks forward to continued collaboration with the GCF in fostering critical skills and strategic thinking through chess in Guyana’s educational system.