The Humanities and Social Sciences Research Programme (Secondary) (HSSRP) is jointly organised by the Gifted Education Branch, Curriculum Planning and Development Division, Ministry of Education, and the higher institutions.
The HSSRP aims to provide participants with the opportunity to engage in research under the guidance of mentors in the various fields in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Its aims are to:
extend and deepen participants’ understanding of the individual and society through an examination of human experiences and interactions in the fields of the Humanities and Social Sciences;
equip participants with knowledge of research methods used in the Humanities and Social Sciences;
develop an awareness of the social responsibilities and ethics of researchers and commitment to use research for the greater good;
develop participants’ skills in communication, interpretation, linking and synthesising domains of knowledge, and imbuing facts with meaning and value; and
nurture in participants a passion for independent learning.
This programme comprises five components.
Mentorship Attachment
This is the period when participants work with their mentors on projects proposed by the mentors or projects that have been crafted by the participants. Mentors and participants will meet for discussions for a minimum of three contact hours (excluding correspondences and editing of reports)
Research Workshop
Participants attend a series of research workshops in the course of the mentorship. At these workshops, participants are given the opportunity to gain new research skills and knowledge from trainers and peers through hands-on activities and sharing.
Project Review
The Project Review provides participants with the opportunity to present their papers to a Review Panel.
Symposium
This Symposium offers selected participants the opportunity to communicate their research findings to others.
Publication of Project Papers
At the end of the mentorship period, participants will submit their papers to their teacher-mentors and expert-mentors for vetting and approval for publication.
The Publication offers a platform for selected participants to share their research findings.
Target Group
The programme is open to Year 3 and 4 students from School-Based Gifted Education (SBGE) and Integrated Programme (IP) schools, who demonstrate outstanding aptitude and ability in specific Humanities subjects.
Each year, the top 1 -3% of Year 2 & Year 3 Humanities students will be invited to join this programme to further their interests in the Humanities.
From submitting proposals to conducting their own research studies, Year 4 students Emily Harjabrata and Isabelle Lim have successfully completed the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Programme (HSSRP) 2020 ! Selected through a stringent process, Emily and Isabelle had the opportunity to engage in research under the guidance of mentors and deepen their understanding of HSS in this nine-month programme. "It was fun conducting my own study and writing a paper on it. I felt a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction after completing the programme.” Emily shares. Well done, girls!
Special thanks to Ms Tee Ying Chian and Miss Mageswari for mentoring the students through this journey.
Find out more about HSSRP here.