The Ministry of Education and Merit (Italian: Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito, or MIM) is the government body of Italy devoted to the administration of the national education system.

It remained unchanged until 14 December 1974, when Giovanni Spadolini (then head of government) created the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, which took over responsibilities and functions from this and other ministries.

In 1988, the Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica also subsumed some of the education ministry's responsibilities.

In the first Romano Prodi cabinet the two were merged into the Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione, Università, Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica, then the Ministero dell'istruzione, dell'università e della ricerca (MIUR) in the second and third Silvio Berlusconi cabinets.

At its end in 2007, the Ministry consisted of (2007): Giuseppe Ermini 19 September 1954 – 2 July 1955 Mario Ferrari Aggradi 24 February 1969 – 5 August 1969 Gerardo Bianco (DC) 27 July 1990 – 12 April 1991