uMthunywa
Nkosilathi Sibanda
ABANTWANA abalethalenta lomdlalo we-chess abavela ezikolo ezisemaphandleni sebephiwe ithuba lokuthi bancintise kumncintiswano omkhulu oweNational Chess Championships ozaqhutshwa ngoNhlangula koBulawayo.
Umncintiswano lo, oqoqwe yi-Chess Mates Academy, ozahlanganisa abadlali abaphuma ezikolo ezikuzabelo zonke zelizwe, kukhangelelwe ukuthi ubekhona mhlaka 3 Nhlangula eNational University of Science and Technology.
Kubikwa kuzadibana abantwana abedlula amakhulu amabili abaleminyaka yokuzalwa ephakathi kwetshumi kusiyafika kumatshumi amabili. Kubadlali laba, ikolitshi leChess Mates Academy libike ukuthi lizasekela indleko zokudlala zabadlali abaphuma ezikolo ezisemakhaya, abane isigaba ngesigaba.
Ukudlala kuyi US$5. Umqondisi weChess Mates Academy uPriscah Sibanda uveze ukuba bahlose ukuxhasa abadlali bezikolo zemaphandleni ngemizamo yokuthi baphakamise i-chess kundawo ezingekho emadolobheni.
Uthe bakhethe ukuthi basekele indleko zokudlala kubadlali abane isigaba ngesigaba. Izigaba ezikhethiweyo zibalisa iBulilima, Mangwe, Gwanda, Hwange, leMatobo.
“Phezulu kwezabelo lezi, sikhethe lokuthi sisekele labadlali beKing George,” kutsho uSibanda.
“Senze lokhu sikhangele ukuthi inengi labantwana abasemaphandleni, abalethalenta lomdlalo we-chess, abasoze benelise ukubhadala. IChess Mates Academy izimisele ukuthi incedise lapho enelisa khona ekuphakamisemi umdlalo wethu.
Kuzabelo lezi sinxuse iMatobo, Gwanda, Mangwe, Bulilima leHwange. Umncintiswano kuhlelwe ukuthi uqhutshwe mhlaka 3 Nhlangula. Ngumncintiswano omkhulu lo okokuthi uzahlanganisa izikolo ezinengi la okudlalwa khona i-chess okweqiniso.”
USibanda uthe amalungiselelo abo asefike ibanga laphezulu.
“Kusele phose amaviki amathathu ukuthi imidlalo ibekhona ngakho sikhuthaza abazali lezikolo ukuthi ziphakame zisekele ithalenta labantwana. Lo ngumncintiswano wakuqala ohlanganisa abantwana abaphuma ezikolo zemaphandleni lalabo abafunda emadolobheni. Yikho lapho esizaphuma khona labadlali abalethalenta abangadlala phetsheya.”
USibanda lequla lakhe kuChess Mates Academy kabaqalisi ukukhankasela ukumemethekisa i-chess emaphandleni. Kuminyaka edluleyo, ikolitshi leli belilolonga abafundi lababalisi abangaphansi kweBulilima District Chess.
Kusabelo lesi, sekwaphuma intshantshu kuzikolo ezibalisa i-Usher High School, Solusi High School, Phakama Secondary School, Ntunungwe Secondary School, Gwambe High School, Tokwana Secondary School leThekwane High School.
Ngaphandle kokudinga ithalenta, iChess Mates Academy isiyakhe inkundla yokuthi kubunjwe inhlelo zokulolonga abantwana abakhuthalele umdlalo we-Chess.
“IChess Mates Academy izasekela ngalokho elakho ukuze umdlalo ukhwabithwe ngabanengi ezikolo. Sifuna ukuletha inguquko kubadlali ngokubanikeza ithuba lokuzibonakalisa. Mhlawumbe singathola abadlali abazamela isizwe bephuma kulindawo,” kutsho uSibanda.
