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THOUGHTS ABOUT A GENERATION OF ARMENIAN CHESS MASTERS
http://hetq.am/eng/news/25052/thoughts-about-a-generation-of-armenian-chess-masters.html
23:07, April 2, 2013
I want to finally comment on an article that appeared on Motherboard
lauding the Armenian Ministry of Education for making chess education
in schools compulsory. Apparently the Armenian government has finally
realized that the incessant brain drain will leave the country with
an inadequate leadership in the not so distant future. The idea is
that by playing chess regularly, kids will learn how to strategize and
hone their decisiveness. This move contrasts with the Chinese method
of producing a master intellectual race by meddling with genes. The
Armenian government has already spent $3 million on facilities and
equipment.
"Chess develops various skills - leadership capacities,
decision-making, strategic planning, logical thinking and
responsibility," Minister of Education Armen Ashotyan told Al
Jazeera in a recent interview. "We are building these traits in
our youngsters."
Yet in parallel the Armenian government should also be taking
initiatives to ensure that those youngsters will remain in the country
10 or 15 years from now. It's no secret that the quality of education
provided by public colleges and universities is by and large mediocre
at best and bribe taking is a common practice within faculties.
Investment in information technologies and science industry is still
relatively low, which means the jobs they will expect probably won't
be there when they graduate and want to enter the workforce unless
policies change now. Ashotyan himself paradoxically stated last
November that scientists are better off working outside Armenia.
My clear concern is that they won't be able to apply those traits
of critical thinking and leadership in their own society and would
rather be compelled to pursue conduits through which to conduct
those skills outside Armenia. Drastically needed nation building may
not happen to its maximal capabilities if this upcoming crop of new
talent is not permitted to utilize their skills alongside an explicit
criminal-obsessed subculture that tends to spurn intellect. You can
only have so many players on the national chess team.
Read full article in Footprints http://blog.hetq.am/
http://hetq.am/eng/news/25052/thoughts-about-a-generation-of-armenian-chess-masters.html
23:07, April 2, 2013
I want to finally comment on an article that appeared on Motherboard
lauding the Armenian Ministry of Education for making chess education
in schools compulsory. Apparently the Armenian government has finally
realized that the incessant brain drain will leave the country with
an inadequate leadership in the not so distant future. The idea is
that by playing chess regularly, kids will learn how to strategize and
hone their decisiveness. This move contrasts with the Chinese method
of producing a master intellectual race by meddling with genes. The
Armenian government has already spent $3 million on facilities and
equipment.
"Chess develops various skills - leadership capacities,
decision-making, strategic planning, logical thinking and
responsibility," Minister of Education Armen Ashotyan told Al
Jazeera in a recent interview. "We are building these traits in
our youngsters."
Yet in parallel the Armenian government should also be taking
initiatives to ensure that those youngsters will remain in the country
10 or 15 years from now. It's no secret that the quality of education
provided by public colleges and universities is by and large mediocre
at best and bribe taking is a common practice within faculties.
Investment in information technologies and science industry is still
relatively low, which means the jobs they will expect probably won't
be there when they graduate and want to enter the workforce unless
policies change now. Ashotyan himself paradoxically stated last
November that scientists are better off working outside Armenia.
My clear concern is that they won't be able to apply those traits
of critical thinking and leadership in their own society and would
rather be compelled to pursue conduits through which to conduct
those skills outside Armenia. Drastically needed nation building may
not happen to its maximal capabilities if this upcoming crop of new
talent is not permitted to utilize their skills alongside an explicit
criminal-obsessed subculture that tends to spurn intellect. You can
only have so many players on the national chess team.
Read full article in Footprints http://blog.hetq.am/