Former Secretary of Education Spellings Visits Portugal

UNCLAS LISBON 000231

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL PREL OVIP PGOV PO
SUBJECT: Former Secretary of Education Spellings Visits Portugal


1. SUMMARY. On her first trip to Portugal, April 15-19, former
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings highlighted common
concerns and challenges in education, stimulating debate among
Portuguese stakeholders about possible solutions. She engaged both
education professionals and leaders in Portugal's business
community for a comprehensive discussion of both public and private
sector efforts in that area. END SUMMARY.


2. In recent years, post has worked closely with the Portuguese
Forum for Freedom in Education to promote events, discussion and
debate on how to address common and universal challenges in
education. Previous visitors include the former Governor of
Florida, Jeb Bush, who spoke about that state's efforts to reform
public schools; and Professor Charles Glenn from Boston University
who spoke about the Charter School movement in the US.


3. During her visit, Secretary Spellings was the keynote speaker at
a conference on educational reform where she discussed US efforts at
the federal level, focusing on the "No Child Left Behind Act." The
conference was held at the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon and
attended by 130 senior Portuguese officials and education
professionals. Secretary Spellings and two prominent Portuguese
commentators reviewed US and Portuguese policies and offered
thoughts and cautions on lessons Portugal might learn from the
American experience.


4. Secretary Spellings also met with the Portuguese Minister of
Culture for a wide-ranging discussion of education and culture, and
later she met with Portuguese business leaders to review the topic
of public-private partnerships.


5. Secretary Spellings gave two press interviews, one with a
leading daily newspaper "Publico" which ran a one-and-a-half-page
interview on April 18; and the other with an international affairs
TV program that ran the following week. The "Publico" article noted
Spellings' commentary on 'No Child Left Behind' and the importance
of good data on student achievement and teacher performance so that
administrators can make mid-course corrections and improve results.



6. COMMENT. Portugal's education system is broken. Students do
not get enough schooling --or enough quality schooling-- to thrive
in the modern global economy, and this is impeding Portugal's
economic progress and the competiveness of Portuguese industry.
Secretary Spellings' comments were eagerly received here by
policy-makers and education professionals keenly aware of the need
to make rapid improvements to all levels of Portuguese schools.
This visit was part of our ongoing effort to contribute to the
dialogue and spur discussion that might lead to progress in
Portugal. END COMMENT.

STEPHENSON