SINGAPORE - More than 50,000 students in Brazil will soon be provided with a more Singaporean-style education.

NIE International (NIEI) Singapore, the business consultancy arm of the National Institute of Education, has conducted its first teacher training programme in the city of Joinville, Santa Catarina State - its first entry into Latin America.

The programme is part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between NIEI and one of Brazil's largest non-governmental organisations, the Ayrton Senna Institute (IAS), to improve the education system in Brazil.

The partnership was facilitated by International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, the government agency promoting international trade.

Professor Paul Teng, NIEI's managing director, said: "This is an important first step that broadens NIEI's international outreach efforts into a key region. We are grateful to IE Singapore for linking us with an influential local partner, the Ayrton Senna Institute, in our first venture into Brazil and look forward to this as a catalyst for expanded collaboration."

The five-day pilot teacher training programme was conducted in Joinville from March 5 to 9.

It trained 30 maths and 30 science teachers who will return to their respective public elementary schools and share what they learned with other teachers, benefiting more than 50,000 students in the municipality.

The IAS aims to replicate the teacher training programme in other Brazilian cities.

Mr Khor Aik Lam, IE Singapore's regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, said: "Brazil has placed strong focus on improving their education system in the past few years.

"Given Singapore's established and well-received educational system, there are opportunities for Singapore educational players to collaborate with Brazil. IE Singapore will continue to work with partners to open doors for Singapore companies in Brazil and Latin America."