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Chess introduced to Special Needs Schools across Guyana
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) has been working in collaboration with Sabine McIntosh, Managing Director of the Deaf Association of Guyana (DAG) Inc., to make chess more accessible to children with special needs.
There was also a meeting at Gifted Hands Learning Centre for Special Needs.
First chess session at the Schoonard Learning Centre for Diverse needs.
This is part of the Federation’s mandate to make chess more accessible to all children across Guyana.
To date, Sabine McIntosh has reached out to six schools; David Rose Special School, New Amsterdam Special Needs School, Schoonord Centre for Children with Diverse Needs, Gifted Hands Learning Centre for Special Needs, Annai Learning Centre, and the Harold B. Davis Special School at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre.
Two students have shown interest and aptitude in the sport at the Schoonord Centre for Children with Diverse Needs. Classes began here on March 10 and continue weekly.
At the David Rose Special School, 26 students will be exposed to chess next term. There are plans to form a small chess club here for students that show strong promise and interest in the sport. Oxana Cox, a Deaf teacher assistant who previously had some chess training, will conduct introductory sessions, until the students are ready for more advanced training.
Cox will also conduct sessions at the Gifted Hands Learning Centre for Special Needs for two students next term.
Training will also commence soon at the New Amsterdam Special Needs School. Due to the pandemic and irregular attendance, a core group has not been identified. In the meantime, Teneisha Isaacs, a Deaf teacher assistant who had some previous chess training, will do preliminary instructions.
Anaya Lall
At the Annai Learning Centre, Senior Councilor Zalita Moses is facilitating the teaching of two students.
Dr. Mellisa Corlette, Head of the Harold B. Davis Special School at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, has agreed for weekly sessions to begin next term. Six students were listed as potential participants. Two male chess players, former students of David Rose, have volunteered to assist with the initiative.
Prior to the pandemic, there were numerous training and workshop opportunities at various institutions for students who are Deaf.
Unfortunately, these programmes and initiatives suffered as a result of covid-19 due to the difficulties in connecting with these players virtually and the lack of amenities to do so effectively.
Schools such as David Rose Special Needs School, New Amsterdam Special Needs School, Special Needs School East Bank Demerara (EBD) and Tuschen Deaf Academy previously had annual Deaf Chess Workshops.
These were facilitated by the DAG with support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport through the National Sports Commission (NSC).
Despite challenges in engaging chess players with special needs during the pandemic, 12-year-old Anaya Lall, a student of Tuschen Deaf Academy, defied the odds and excelled in the game both locally and internationally.
Throughout the pandemic she participated in a number of local online tournaments and also represented Guyana at the Online Youth and Cadet World Rapid Championships.
She went on to become the first deaf chess player to represent Guyana internationally at the 4th FIDE World Chess Championship for People with Disabilities.
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