After years of effort and dedication by academics and members of the Khanzad Chess Club, the club has achieved its goal of making chess an official practical and theoretical subject within the Kurdistan school system.
The Ministry of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government has approved the teaching of chess in schools for students in grades 7, 8 and 9. The program is expected to be expanded to additional grades in the coming years.
According to the Khanzad Chess Club, the main objective of introducing chess into schools is to strengthen students’ intellectual abilities, develop critical thinking and broaden their mental skills.
The initiative follows the publication of a chess textbook by the Khanzad Chess Club, which was subsequently approved by the Ministry of Education. The decision has also received attention from government institutions, media organizations, and sports unions in Kurdistan and Iraq, further highlighting the growing role of chess in education and youth development.
Dilzar Hama Salih, president of the Khanzad Chess Club, told Erbil Newspaper: “Every school will be provided with a chess hall, chess boards and score sheets.”
The introduction of chess into the school curriculum marks a significant step in promoting the sport as both an educational tool and a competitive discipline in Kurdistan.
