QNRF Awards 30 Distinguished Secondary School Projects

Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, announced today the results of the first cycle of the Secondary School Research Experience Program (SSREP) which was launched in September 2010, generating a considerable response.

As many as 177 research proposals from 32 local secondary schools were received for consideration. Experts from the Curriculum Standards Office at the Supreme Education Council (SEC) assessed the applications. The team has accredited 158 research proposals, while 19 proposals were disqualified for non-compliance with the curriculum standards adopted by SEC.

At the close of the pre-defined period of four months for research completion, QNRF received the final reports of all participating research projects and started conducting a rigorous review process. Each report was evaluated by three independent experts, as per the criteria set by QNRF and SEC. Both parties agreed to adopt a winning score of 80%, which resulted in the award of 30 distinguished projects involving 48 students of which 23 are Qatari students representing 47% of the total awarded students.

The awarded projects came from the following 11 secondary schools:

1. Qatar Academy - Secondary (6 projects),
2. Al Sailliya Secondary Independent School for Girls (5 projects),
3. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Thani Secondary Independent School for Boys (4 projects),
4. Al Doha Secondary Independent School for Boys (4 projects),
5. Omar Bin Al Khattab Secondary Independent School for Boys (4 projects),
6. Al Iman Secondary Independent School for Girls (2 projects),
7. Abdullah bin Ali Al Mesnid Secondary Independent School for Boys (1 project),
8. Al Furqan Secondary Independent School for Boys (1 project),
9. Al Resala Secondary Independent School for Girls (1 project),
10. Al Wakra Secondary Independent School for Boys (1 project)
11. Shaimaa Secondary Independent School for Girls (1 project).

QNRF will award a Certificate of Appreciation together with 5,000 Qatari Riyals to each student and teacher participating in these distinguished projects. In addition, those distinguished research projects prepared by the Qatari students will be nominated to compete for the Education Excellence Day Award in coordination with the Supreme Education Council (SEC).

Dr. Abdul Sattar Al-Taie, Executive Director of QNRF said: "This program embodies the wise vision and leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development to spread research culture at an early age and in all stages of education in Qatar."

"We are very pleased by the immense success of the first cycle of this ambitious program. We aspire to widen the participation among secondary school students in future cycles to act as a catalyst for introducing research culture to every home in Qatar. In the long term, these efforts would contribute to fulfilling Qatar National Vision 2030 and build a knowledge-based society in this country," he added.

SSREP aims to introduce research culture in early phases of a child's education. This can be achieved by providing real opportunities for all students (Qatari and non-Qatari) at all secondary schools in Qatar (independent and private) to carry out scientific research derived from the curriculum standards and accredited by SEC with the guidance of their teachers.