04002

7 Sep 2002

Visit to the United States and Ireland by Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence, RADM (NS) Teo Chee Hean, from 7-14 September 2002

     Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence, RADM (NS) Teo Chee Hean, will be visiting the United States and Ireland from 7-14 Sep 2002 with Minister of State for Education and Manpower Dr Ng Eng Hen. They will be accompanied by MOE officials.

2. During his visit to the US, Minister Teo will be signing an MOU on education with the U.S. Secretary of Education Dr Roderick Paige. This MOU between the MOE of Singapore and the U.S. Department of Education is the first government-to-government memorandum on education, and serves to formalise and strengthen the existing exchanges and collaborations in education between our two countries.

3. Besides meeting senior education officials, Minister Teo will be visiting educational institutes to get updates on innovative practices and educational developments in the US. In the Ireland, he will be visiting educational institutes to get a better understanding of the Irish education system

4. In addition, Minister Teo will be calling on U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defence Mr Paul Wolfowitz and other senior officials.