The BBC's aim to "inform, educate and entertain" is under threat with the closure of its schools TV production unit and the suspension of "digital curriculum" BBC Jam.
BBC schools programming appears to be in chaos, with 12 staff facing redundancy in TV production and around 189 BBC Jam staff working on the online service facing an uncertain future.
For years, children watched BBC schools shows at home or with their teachers. But BBC staff are now unsure how many programmes for schools will be aired.
The problem appears to be that the £150m BBC Jam was supposed to be an extension of the corporation's 80-year history of schools broadcasting, replacing programmes made by the TV production unit.
The TV production unit was wound down and not given any new commissions beyond the end of last month. Now its remaining 12 staff are due to be made redundant.
But BBC Jam has been suspended by the BBC Trust following concerns raised by the European commission about its commercial impact.
This means there is now a substantial gap in the BBC schools education output. Executives and staff are unsure what the future holds.
The BBC Learning controller, Liz Cleaver, has sent an email to BBC Jam workers, saying there is "considerable uncertainty about the position of people in the teams".
Ms Cleaver added that her department was preparing proposals for an online education service to replace BBC Jam, which will be submitted to the BBC Trust as part of the public value test it will be carrying out on the new offering.
The outline plan was expected to be submitted to the trust by the end of this month, after which work would begin a more detailed submission, according to Ms Cleaver.
"As a consequence of this decision, the trust has also asked us to take steps to wind down production and other activity - except for what's needed to support the PVT [public value test].
"We have started urgently to look at what production and activity might need to continue in preparation for the PVT, including any trials of material which might be approved by the trust," she added.
"The work needed to support the PVT will clearly require a much smaller team than we currently have, but further work is needed before we can be more specific about the arrangements going forward.
"The corollary of this of course is that all other activity not required for the PVT will have to be wound down at the earliest possible opportunity consistent with the BBC's legal and contractual obligations."
Helen Ryan, an official with broadcasting union Bectu, said: "The BBC should be forced to redeploy those people currently working in the school's TV production unit.
"They have extensive skills that should be transferable and we are hoping the 12 can be redeployed elsewhere.
"I have asked what the impact is and for a list of what programmes are classed as educational, but have not received anything yet."
Paul McGlaughlin, the National Union of Journalists national broadcasting organiser, added: "There will no longer be any provision for programmes specifically designed for the education of school-age children.
"To let these people go will mean talent will disperse."
However, the BBC pointed out that it was carrying out other educational projects such as Blast, a creative project aimed at 13- to 19-year-olds, and revision guide Bitesize.
· To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk email editor@mediatheguardian.com or phone 020 7239 9857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 7278 2332.
· If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
