Tsogo Sun invests in school chess programme

Tsogo Sun has announced its latest SunCares corporate social investment initiative, which will see the company investing more than R10m in a national school chess programme over three years.

"The selection of chess seemed a natural fit for us as part of both our strategy to develop sport as well as play a role in education. Chess is listed among the government's top 16 priority sporting codes for inclusion at school level and the educational development through chess then aligns strongly with sport and education," explains Shanda Paine, group CSI manager at Tsogo Sun.

"All our initiatives are designed to comply with government's strategy and objectives within the school system to ensure that we contribute to the overall development of the children we reach. Chess also has the well-earned reputation of contributing significantly to different skill-sets within a child's development. There is much research to back up claims that chess improves concentration; it develops logical thinking, analytical skills, visualisation skills, decision-making skills, abstract thinking, planning skills, and memory, among others.

Catalyst for education

"Moves for Life is a South African initiative which uses the sport of chess as a catalyst for education in the crucial areas of Maths, Science and literacy," says Paine. Tsogo Sun Moves for Life is in collaboration with Moves for Life, a national non-profit organisation that impacts children's lives from the age of five through the structured implementation of chess. Moves for Life has already been implemented at more than 70 schools nationwide.

"It is often said that success is a combination of thoughts, words and actions, and that chess is a tool that helps equalise the playing field," says Marisa van der Merwe, founder and manager of MiniChess and Trustee for Moves for Life. "I believe this is evident in Tsogo Sun's strategy in engaging the youth of today. Together with Tsogo Sun Moves for Life and MiniChess this initiative will breed success for the students, teachers, schools and communities. It is a big step towards the reformation needed in South Africa."

Three key elements

Vusi Dlamini, group HR director of Tsogo Sun says there is a dire need to increase the Maths, Science and literacy capabilities of children all over the country. "Tsogo Sun Moves for Life is an important programme for the development of the country and we are extremely proud to have been the catalyst that has brought leading companies such as BHP Billiton and Sasol to collaborate alongside us to enable Moves for Life to extend its reach nationwide."

The programme is divided into three key elements, namely MiniChess (Grade R to Grade 3), MasterMoves (nine years and older), and teacher training. The first phase of the Tsogo Sun Moves for Life programme entails teacher training and the introduction of MiniChess currently in three areas: 26 schools in Gauteng, funded by Montecasino, Gold Reef City and Silverstar Casino; in two schools in Emalahleni (Witbank) in Mpumalanga, facilitated by The Ridge Casino; in two schools in Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal supported by Blackrock Casino; and in six schools in Mosselbay in the Western Cape, funded by Garden Route Casino. Plans are in place to extend the programme to schools in Welkom in the Free State, supported by Goldfields Casino, and other areas early in 2014.