Hayford Amedji-dela Anyidoho

Washington, D.C., March 12, 2025 – The U.S. government continues its radical restructuring of federal agencies, with the Department of Education now facing massive staff reductions. Nearly half of its workforce is being cut, raising questions about the agency’s future.

According to an official statement, around 50 percent of department employees will be laid off. The decision is part of an ongoing downsizing effort that challenges the department’s current role. Employees were informed on Tuesday evening that all offices would remain closed through Wednesday.


President Donald Trump has long criticized the Department of Education as inefficient and unnecessary, calling it a “massive fraud.” The move to downsize the agency is seen as a necessary step by his administration. His newly appointed efficiency czar, tech billionaire Elon Musk, has openly labeled federal employees as “Marxists” and “America-haters.”

At the start of Trump’s term in 2025, the department employed approximately 4,100 people. Over the past few weeks, 600 staff members have opted for early retirement. An additional 1,300 employees will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21 but will continue to receive their salaries until June.

A Step Toward Eliminating the Department?

These developments fuel speculation that the administration may ultimately seek to abolish the Department of Education altogether. Critics warn of potential negative consequences for public education and student support programs. Supporters, on the other hand, welcome the move as a long-overdue reform of an allegedly inefficient agency.

As the restructuring continues, it remains to be seen what further steps the administration will take and how these drastic cuts will impact the U.S. education system.

Source:

https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/ausland/usa-bildungsministerium-entlassungen-mitarbeiter-100.html