According to Reuters, United States of America President Donald Trump will sign a long-awaited executive order to dissolve the federal Department of Education on today, Thursday, March 20.
The department regulates around 1,00,000 public and 34,000 private schools in the United States, with state and local governments providing more than 85 per cent of public school financing.
It also oversees about USD 1.6 trillion in student loans taken out by Americans who are unable to pay for their university education in full right away.
The Trump administration claims, based on standardised test scores, that federal government control of education has failed children, parents, and instructors. It further claims that the department has spent more than USD 3 trillion since its inception in 1979 without increasing student achievement.
The order instructs education secretary Linda McMahon to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely," according to Reuters.
Taking an ideological tone, the decree also states that any programmes or activities receiving leftover federal funds must not "advance DEI or gender ideology."
DEI, which stands for “Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity” is a term used to describe policies, programmes, and practices that help create a diverse and inclusive environment. “Gender ideology” is a loosely defined term that covers a range of issues related to gender equality, LGBT rights, and gender studies.
Conservative pundits, as well as the Republican Party have been rallying against them for years leading to Trump’s second presidential campaign in 2024, calling for their end.
Critics of the administration say the agency is critical to maintaining good standards in public education and accuse Republicans of attempting to push for a profit-driven education paradigm.
The measure aims to carry out a significant campaign promise made by Trump during his first term in office, but which Congress did not act on. The US president has often called for the department's elimination, referring to it as "a big con job."
This comes after attorneys general from 20 states and the District of Columbia contested the Trump administration's decision to fire off over 1,300 department employees in a federal court in Boston.
The Trump administration described the move as part of the agency's "final mission" as the US president and billionaire adviser Elon Musk continue to try to shut down federal programmes and organisations without Congressional approval, alleging administrative "waste", reports Reuters.
