Boris Johnson has appointed Nadhim Zahawi as the new Education Secretary.

England has a new Education Secretary following Boris Johnson’s major Cabinet reshuffle. Nadhim Zahawi replaces Gavin Williamson after just two years in the post.

Williamson has repeatedly come under fire for his handling of education during the pandemic, therefore his sacking was no surprise.  He was criticised for last year's exams chaos and repeated U-turns over free school meals policy, as well as last-minute school closures and struggles many poorer children faced getting equipment for home learning. And, just last week, he was widely mocked after he admitted to confusing England footballer Marcus Rashford with rugby star Maro Itoje.

Williamson tweeted: “It has been a privilege to serve as education secretary since 2019. Despite the challenges of the global pandemic, I’m particularly proud of the transformational reforms I’ve led in post-16 education: in further education colleges, our skills agenda, apprenticeships and more... I look forward to continuing to support the prime minister and the government.”

Angela Rayner, Labour deputy leader welcomed his dismissal: “It’s good that Gavin Williamson has been sacked but he should have been sacked over a year ago.

“That prat’s absolute idiocy, failures and uselessness have damaged the life chances of our country’s children and this government has failed young people, teachers and education staff.”

Zahawi will leave his previous post as the minister responsible for the Covid vaccines roll-out. Born in Iraq, he has previously been a junior education minister. His family moved to the UK in 1976 when he was aged nine, attending independent schools in London and then studying chemical engineering at University College London. Read more about Nadhim Zahawi here.  

He will now be responsible for schools, colleges, and universities in England, as they recover from the disruption of the pandemic.

"Education is a crucial part of our levelling up agenda so it's an honour to be back at the Department for Education as secretary of state," said Zahawi.

"Children and young people have had a tough time during this pandemic and I'll be listening to them and their families as we accelerate our work to build back better and fairer."

Teaching unions 'can't pretend to be sorry'

"We can't pretend we are sorry that Gavin Williamson has gone," said teachers' union leader Kevin Courtney. "He failed to engage with our suggestions on how to make schools safer during Covid - and thereby kept them closed longer."

Mary Bousted, co-leader of the National Education Union with Mr Courtney, urged the incoming education secretary to push for extra funding in next month's public spending review.

"The money promised to schools to date is a small fraction of the amount judged to be needed by the government's former education recovery tsar," said Ms Bousted.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "One of the most pressing tasks facing Mr Zahawi will be to ensure that the government now fulfils its promise to deliver a properly funded recovery package so that every pupil in the country receives the support they need and deserve.

"With the comprehensive spending review only weeks away, there really is no time to waste."

"The Department for Education may now be under new management, but the same challenges remain," said Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union.

"More ambition is needed on post-Covid education recovery, investment in schools and colleges, support for children with special educational needs, and closing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers," he said.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), has called on the incoming education secretary to “commit to repairing the damage that has been done” by Mr Williamson.

Grady said: “Gavin Williamson will be remembered by university and college staff as a disastrous secretary of state who caused deep and lasting damage.

“From the mutant algorithm which attempted to hardwire inequalities into the exam system, to his negligent mismanagement of the pandemic leading to schools, universities and colleges becoming Covid incubators, Williamson’s long list of failures is shocking.”

Labour's Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green said: "Two years of exams chaos and staff abandoned, unsupported and demoralised. That is Gavin Williamson's legacy.

"The prime minister has allowed this to happen, keeping a failing education secretary in post for months and refusing to fight for children's futures."