In an unprecedented educational initiative, Grenada is poised to distribute more than 400 professional-grade chess sets valued at EC$30,000 to primary and secondary schools across the nation. This ambitious project marks the centerpiece of the inaugural Chess Week scheduled for March 2026, potentially establishing the first event of its kind in both the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the broader Caribbean region.
The Grenada Chess Federation (GCF), organizer of the landmark event, has confirmed that Chess Week 2026 will run from March 2-7, culminating with the Independence Chess Tournament finals. Federation members will conduct parish-by-parish visits to educational institutions, delivering the specialized tournament equipment while introducing fundamental chess principles and facilitating the establishment of school chess clubs.
Strategic priority will be given to secondary schools during the initial phase, aligning with GCF’s objective to launch the first Inter-Secondary School Chess Tournament by late 2026. Each participating institution will receive a minimum of five chess sets and identify at least ten students to form club nuclei, with additional sets to be provided as membership expands. Critical to the program’s sustainability is the designation of at least one teacher per school to oversee club operations and subsequent online training initiatives.
The comprehensive national rollout ensures complete geographic coverage, including the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Any schools not reached during the designated week will be visited by the end of March 2026, according to federation representatives.
This groundbreaking educational endeavor enjoys full support from Grenada’s Ministry of Education and the National Sports Council (NSC), which plans to incorporate chess into its inaugural National Games parish competitions by 2027. The GCF leveraged its affiliations with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Confederation of Chess for the Americas (CCA) to procure the professional tournament equipment necessary for the nationwide initiative.
Research consistently demonstrates chess’s cognitive benefits, including enhanced memory capacity, prolonged attention spans, improved problem-solving capabilities, strengthened critical thinking skills, and increased disciplinary focus among young participants.