Instruction in chess in now mandatory for third and fourth graders in Armenia the same way that obesity and texting are in American schools. From Al Jazeera:

“Yerevan, Armenia – Little Susie Hunanyan attended her favourite class in school last week, and it wasn’t drawing, crafts or sport. The seven-year-old sat studiously through an hour of chess lessons.

In Armenia, learning to play the grand game of strategy in school is mandatory for children – the only country in the world that makes chess compulsory – and the initiative has paid dividends. Armenia, a Caucasus country with a population of just three million, is a chess powerhouse. …

The chess initiative is not only meant to scout young talent but also build a better society. Armen Ashotyan, Armenia’s education minister, told Al Jazeera the project is aimed at fostering creative thinking.

‘Chess develops various skills – leadership capacities, decision-making, strategic planning, logical thinking and responsibility,’ Ashotyan said. ‘We are building these traits in our youngsters. The future of the world depends on such creative leaders who have the capacity to make the right decisions, as well as the character to take responsibility for wrong decisions.’“