Eritrea trains teachers to introduce school chess

The Eritrean National Chess Federation held a teacher training programme from 2 to 6 February to support school chess. The five-day course prepared educators to coach junior and high school students, forming part of the federation’s longer-term development plans.

Sessions combined theory with practical activities, addressing coaching skills, age-appropriate methods and ways to introduce the game in classrooms. The course also examined how teachers can maintain student engagement while using chess to encourage critical thinking, discipline and participation.

Federation officials linked the programme to a broader strategy of developing future players by investing in school-level coaches. They expressed an expectation that stronger competitive players could emerge over the following two or three years. FIDE published the programme report after the course concluded.