File photo taken on July 16, 2016, shows Donald Trump speaking at a campaign event in New York, United States. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated Betsy DeVos to lead the Department of Education, marking the first female appointment to his Cabinet.
In a statement published on his official website, Trump described DeVos as “a highly successful education advocate, businesswoman, and philanthropist.”
“Under her leadership, we will reform the U.S. education system to deliver world-class education and expand school choice for all families,” the statement read.
Her nomination is subject to confirmation by Congress.
DeVos is a well-known proponent of the school voucher system, which allocates public education funds directly to parents in the form of vouchers, enabling them to enroll their children in a school of their choice.
She believes this approach fosters competition among schools and ultimately improves education quality.
However, the policy has faced strong opposition, particularly from teachers’ unions, who argue it threatens the standardization and stability of public education.
A native of Michigan, DeVos has been a long-time donor and supporter of the Republican Party
