The BBC will no longer have a dedicated education editor as part of a cost-cutting drive in which 100 jobs are to go across BBC News under a plan that school leaders described as “deeply regrettable”.

BBC staff have been told that the roles of education editor and social affairs editor are to be combined into a single position as part of a round of changes that will save £5.5m. However, prominent unions and campaigners are saying the reform will dilute scrutiny of two specialisms that are too important to go without a dedicated BBC role.

The education editor at BBC News is Branwen Jeffreys and the social affairs editor is Alison Holt.

In a message to staff seen by the Guardian, Richard Burgess, the director of news content, said he was proposing the change after a review of on-air editor roles.…