Muhyiddin On First Official Visit To London

LONDON, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will make an official visit to the United Kingdom, his first as the Deputy Prime Minister, the Education Ministry said in a statement.

It said that the visit, from Jan 9-14, was at the invitation of Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls, and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Lord Peter Mandelson.

Both leaders invited Muhyiddin, who is the Malaysian Education Minister, to participate and deliver a keynote address at the Learning and Technology World Forum, here.

The forum, from Jan 11-13, will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and is expected to be attended by 50 education ministers as well as educators from 70 countries.

During the forum, world education leaders will, among others, deliberate how technology can be utilised to improve the quality of education as well as the access to it.

Discussions will centre on the main theme, namely "Re-imagining Education", the statement said.

During the visit, Muhyiddin would explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in the field of education between both countries, including in terms of training for Malaysian teachers and education officers.

Muhyiddin would also study education transformation and innovation among United Kingdom's education institutes, and visit a community and specialist school here, the Sunbury Manor School, which had successfully developed a virtual learning environment, it said.

The statement said Muhyiddin's visit was also aimed at seeking continuous improvement of Malaysia's education system, strengthening education leadership and expanding the use of latest technologies to enhance education quality.

Muhyiddin is also expected to meet Malaysian community and students in London and brief them on the latest issues back home.

Muhyiddin's programmes here also include attending a meeting between the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) and potential investors here.

He will also visit the Malaysian Auditorium at the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies where he is scheduled to deliver a ceramah on "Islam and Critical Issues in Multi-Religious Malaysia".

The statement said the visit would enhance the existing cooperation in the field of education and more importantly, enhance the already cordial relations between both countries.