By: The Fatu Network News Desk
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chess in Gambia, a non-profit organisation dedicated to using chess as an educational tool, to introduce the game into schools across the country.
The collaboration aims to diversify school sports while helping students develop critical 21st-century skills such as logical thinking, problem-solving, and social inclusion.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, MoBSE’s Permanent Secretary Louis Moses Mendy described the agreement as a “significant step towards improving our school sports.” He emphasised the need for varied sporting options in the education sector, stating: “It is important to diversify sporting disciplines to nurture young talents and provide students with the opportunity to excel in both their academic pursuits and their desired field of sports.”
The partnership will enable Chess in Gambia to expand its outreach. Co-founded by siblings Christina Pauline Aziz and Mathew Luke Aziz, the organisation seeks to make chess more accessible to students and to promote it as a tool for cognitive development.
According to the Communications Unit at MoBSE, the organisation’s mission aligns with the ministry’s education goals. “The organisation’s mission is to enhance students’ cognitive development and social skills by promoting chess as an accessible and engaging learning activity,” the ministry noted.
“The partnership with MoBSE will allow Chess in Gambia to bring the benefits of chess to a wider network of students and communities across The Gambia,” the statement added.
