Bela Tsipuria, announced Monday as the nominee to take over as the next minister of education, unexpectedly declined the post two days later.

“Our group has made a mutual decision,” Tsipuria told the state-owned broadcaster on Wednesday, explaining that she is choosing to devote herself to the education programs she has been implementing as deputy education minister.

Gia Khuroshvili, the government’s parliamentary secretary, said that Tsipuria had formally written the president to request that her nomination be withdrawn.

The position has passed on to the little-known Maia Miminoshvili, currently the director of the National Assessment and Examination Center.

Miminoshvili has not made any public comments on her nomination.

A new cabinet must be appointed after Lado Gurgenidze, a successful banker, was nominated on November 16 to take over as prime minister from Zurab Noghaideli, who is standing down citing health reasons.

Tsipuria was to replace Kakha Lomaia in the new cabinet.

Lomaia, at the “firm request” of the president, is moving on to helm the National Security Council.