Washington, Nov 24

US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday tapped Betsy DeVos to be his Education Secretary, the first woman to be appointed to his cabinet and a defender of allowing parents to use public funds to send their children to private or religious schools.

\"Betsy DeVos is a brilliant and passionate education advocate,\" EFE news quoted Trump as saying in a statement.

\"Under her leadership, we will reform the US education system and break the bureaucracy that is holding our children back so that we can deliver world-class education and school choice to all families,\" he said in the statement.

DeVos, 58, was president of the Republican Party in Michigan and currently heads the American Federation for Children, a group that is pushing for expansion of the option allowing parents to use public funds to send their children to schools of their choice, whether they be private or religious institutions.

She is also a strong opponent of teachers\' unions, which she has called a formidable \"enemy\".

DeVos accepted the offer of a Cabinet post, saying in the same statement Trump released that \"I am honoured to accept this responsibility to work with the President-elect on his vision to make American education great again.\"

\"The status quo in education is not acceptable. Together, we can work to make transformational change that ensures every student in America has the opportunity to fulfil his or her highest potential,\" she added.

Trump taps Betsy DeVos for US Education Secretary