Kunle Adelabu
It is another engaging and laudable initiative when the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ikorodu branch, under the leadership of Comrade Oluwafemi Fakolade, Jp, partnered with the Ikorodu Chess Club, to train teachers on how to play the game of chess and become masters in the game.
According to Fakolade, the game, which involves maneuvering, critical and strategic thinking, will assist teachers to develop better perception of their subjects and delivery to students.
The training, which was held at the Teachers House, NUT Ikorodu Secretariat, located within the Oga/Methodist Primary School and LGEA premises, Allison Street, Ikorodu, on Tuesday, was themed, ‘Chess for Ikorodu Teachers’.
About 80 teachers that took part in the training, were excited as they were seen taking instructions from chess masters and learning strategic movement on the board.
Fakolade, who himself was very excited with the acceptance of the game by the teachers, said that the game will go a long way in helping teachers to develop the capacity for better delivery to students and make them competitive.
“I am so excited today, because this is a programme that we have been planning for about four months. We have been planning to design something that has never been done before and we came up with the idea of introducing chess game to our teachers.
“We understand the importance of chess game and we felt that there is need for our teachers to get involved in the game.
“We are also aware that in saner climes, chess has been incorporated into curriculum, because it helps in logical reasoning and cognitive ability of both the students and teachers, and when we looked at it, the branch executives, at its meeting, resolved that we need to cascade the game to our teachers in the classrooms.
“You can see here today that we have close to 80 teachers who are ready to play the game of chess and probably compete at the international level”, he said.
While stating that the NUT in Ikorodu, has planned to sustain the integration of chess into teachers activities, Fakolade also emphasized that it is part of the union’s efforts in assisting the government of Lagos State, in achieving its agenda.
“Sustainability is very key in whatever that we are planning to do. Strategically, we have positioned a gym for teachers (built beside the Teachers House in Ikorodu) which is first of its kind in the annals of history of teaching profession in Africa”, he said.
“We have in it different kind of facilities to recreate and aside that, just in the front of the NUT secretariat (Teachers House in Ikorodu), we are planning to put a very big chess spot. So, our teachers will have the opportunity of coming around to play the chess game.
“So, this exercise is not going to be one – off and die. We are going to create timetable to converge, may be every Friday, to play and possibly, introduce chess competitions.
“What we are also trying to do is also to help and support the THEMES Plus agenda of our able Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu, part of which centres on education – developing teachers who are able to compete with the rest of the world.
“With this game of chess, our teachers will be able to compete with their counterparts in the rest of the world. So, it is not going to end like this. This is just the beginning”, Fakolade emphasized.
The NUT Chairman also expressed his satisfaction with the turnout of teachers and their commitment to the training of chess as beginners.
“This is a fantastic turnout; fantastic commitment and dedication to the training. You can see them in their and it is something that is obvious. They are so excited doing something that is different from the daily routine of just teaching in the classrooms”, he said.
“When they leave here, they are better positioned to strategically know how to organize themselves to deliver the subject content in their classrooms.
“My message to other teachers is that they should let us celebrate together the game of chess. This is what we should be able to do to be able to compete with better teachers in the world”, he added.
