Search for SEAMEO Young Scientists (SSYS) – RECSAM’s Initiative for Promoting Public Science Education: The Way Forward

Abstract

Every government strives to equip its citizens with scientific and technological literacy to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. SEAMEO RECSAM is a regional center mandated to enhance science and mathematics education in the Southeast Asian region. RECSAM organizes the Search for SEAMEO Young Scientists (SSYS) Congress, dubbed as the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) version in Southeast Asia. This innovative intervention nurtures the development of scientific thinking and twenty-first-century skills as students engaged in research projects on authentic community problems. This paper reports on three case studies from Thailand, Philippines, and Malaysia. The first and second cases elaborated on SSYS as a bridge for formal and informal science education. The third case dealt with RECSAM’s e-portal called “Southeast Asia Regional Capacity-Enhancement Hub (SEARCH),” an initiative for public access to science education and at the same time as resources for science teaching and learning. In conclusion, SSYS initiative needs to be strengthened by the Ministries of Education of 11 SEAMEO member counties to ensure more participation among young scientists and wider public access to informal science education for the promotion of scientific literacy in the region. Educational implications and future directions are also advanced.