Dan Mitchinson: US correspondent on the US Department of Education laying off nearly half its workforce - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The US Department of Education has initiated mass layoffs, reducing its workforce by nearly 50 percent. 

Impacted staff will be placed on administrative leave from March 21, according to a statement from the Department. 

US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says DOGE team lead Elon Musk has expressed interest in getting rid of the Department of Education altogether - and it's unclear how possible this goal is.

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