Under the headline 'Checkmate learning inequality in the outskirts of Denmark,' the organization aims to strengthen learning opportunities for children and young people in some municipalities where significantly more students do not pass Danish and mathematics at the primary school leaving exam. The consequence is that a large group of children and young people lose faith in their own abilities – and risk falling behind both academically and socially.

Specifically, the funds will be used for learning programs in five schools. The programs will include 2-4 classes at each school and will reach at least 200 students.

– With school chess, we strengthen the brain and enhance community. When children and young people experience mastery, both motivation and belief in their own abilities grow – and this gives them better conditions to pass their final exams, says Mads Jacobsen, Secretary General of Danish School Chess.

School chess is not just about pieces and moves. It's about giving a hand before and after the game. About showing respect. About immersing oneself. And about being part of a community where everyone can participate.

– We are working with a game-based learning program where students train concentration, problem-solving, and analytical thinking. At the same time, many schools experience fewer conflicts, more calm in the classroom, and stronger social bonds across student groups. Our experience is that particularly children with school refusal, learning difficulties, and diagnoses such as ADHD and autism gain academic and social benefits from school chess because the teaching method combines structure, immersion, and clear social rules, says Mads Jacobsen.

The Secretary General highlights school chess as a suitable tool because the game requires focus and perseverance. When students work systematically and concentrated on the same task over a longer period, both their understanding of mathematics and general learning are strengthened.

– When you play school chess, it's about making a plan and working systematically. You encounter mathematics in a new way – and it happens analogously. This is important in a daily life where a large part of the teaching otherwise takes place via a screen, says Mads Jacobsen, adding that Danish schools are among those in Europe with the most screen time during a school day.

So far, Danish School Chess has visited schools in Frederikshavn, Sønderborg, and Ringkøbing-Skjern municipalities to introduce teachers and students to school chess as a learning tool.

– We have experienced students who had difficulty engaging but found it easier to connect with the task when they sat at the chessboard opposite another person, says Mads Jacobsen.

He hopes that the learning programs can inspire schools to incorporate school chess as a natural part of teaching and give teachers and school leadership the desire to continue working with the methods in everyday life.

– I hope that we can help excite both students and teachers so that school chess becomes a valuable supplement to traditional teaching, says Mads Jacobsen.

The health clinic in Burkina Faso was set to close in February 2022, but Fonden Det Nytter has since been able to cover the operating costs.

Danish School Chess is a non-profit organization that helps children and young people succeed academically, socially, and mentally. Using school chess as an educational tool, the organization works to give all children – regardless of their background – the opportunity to experience community and develop.