The FIDE Chess in Education Commission and AIDEF are announcing an online Preparation of Teachers course in French. FIDE EDU has offered many English and Spanish courses since 2023, with help from the Confederation of Chess for America. The first French course runs online from May 16-18, 2025. Participants who pass the final exam with at least 65% will earn the FIDE School Instructor title.
The implementation of French courses aimed at training teachers in schools addresses a fundamental need: ensuring equitable access to quality pedagogy in a language mastered by both trainers and learners. Chess, as a recognized educational tool, fosters the development of essential skills in children, such as concentration, logic, critical thinking, memory, autonomy, and decision-making abilities. It integrates perfectly into school curricula, complementing traditional learning and contributing to strengthening basic education.
In this context, the growing interest in the French language is clear. French is the language of instruction, administration, and inter-community communication in many countries, particularly in Africa. Offering training in French thus ensures better access to educational content, a quicker assimilation of training tools, and sustainable skill development for teachers. Moreover, the French language carries values of cooperation, solidarity, and knowledge transfer that align fully with the educational goals pursued by organizations engaged in the development of chess.
The International Association of Francophone Chess (AIDEF), recognized by FIDE as the representative body for Francophone chess, has set itself the mission of organizing and promoting chess in the Francophone world. This mission is particularly important in countries where chess structures are still in their infancy or in the process of being established, especially in many African nations where the youth population is large, motivated, but often faces a lack of resources and institutional frameworks.
While Northern countries already benefit from established educational systems and available teaching resources, Southern countries have specific needs, both in terms of training, equipment, and logistical support. This is why the development of a structured training offer in French is a crucial lever to support the professionalization of local actors and promote the sustainable integration of chess in schools.
Therefore, AIDEF aims to intensify its efforts in these regions, working closely with FIDE and national federations, so that chess becomes a true educational, empowering, and social cohesion tool for the younger generations of the Francophone world.
Written by Patrick Van Hoolandt