The Washington Post’s embattled education unit laid off 770 employees, or 5 percent of its work force, as enrollment at its for-profit colleges slows down. Kaplan University officials announced the cuts on Tuesday, then let the ax fall on Wednesday.

“These are difficult decisions to make, but necessary if we are to maintain the same high-quality education and support services our students expect,” said Jeff Conlon, chief executive officer of Kaplan Higher Education.