U.S. judge blocks Trump from dismantling education dept

A federal judge in the United States on Thursday blocked the President Donald Trump administration from dismantling the Department of Education.

This marked the first time a judge declared the administration’s extensive changes to the department unlawful.

Judge Myong Joun from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the administration from dismissing half of the department’s employees.

It also prevented the department from shifting the management of federal student loans to the Small Business Administration.

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Trump has long criticised the department and argued that despite significant federal investment in education, the quality of education has not met expectations.

The President, who cited low proficiency in reading and mathematics among students in U.S. elementary, middle, and high schools, said that the department is “doing us no good’’ and his administration is returning education to the states.

In March, he signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the department.

The department previously initiated a large-scale layoff.

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