Schools Minister Nick Gibb SAVAGED as he FAILS to answer simple maths question live on GMB
JEREMY KYLE did not hold back as he quizzed Schools Minister Nick Gibb on Good Morning Britain over his proposal that primary school children are tested on their times tables.
Jeremy Kyle SCOLDS Schools Minister as he REFUSES to answer maths question on GMB
Awkward moment Schools Minister refuses to answer maths question
Jeremy, who is currently standing in for Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain, asked Nick if he would put his knowledge to the test and answer a number of maths questions.
“Three questions for your schools minister. What is eight times nine?” the presenter quizzed.
Clearly feeling uncomfortable, Nick refused to answer the mental arithmetic question: “I’m not going to get into this live.
“I have learned through bitter experience not to answer these kind of questions.”
Good Morning Britain: Jeremy Kyle and Kate Garraway quizzed Schools Minister Nick Gibb
. My 8 year old has had weekly spelling & timetables tests at school every week since Yr1. Why national one?
— Alistair Wade (@AG_Wade) February 14, 2018
Just guessing - I am no expert on arithmetic teaching - but if this is anything like phonics it will distract teachers from actually teaching children to multiply, divide and factorise.
— Tony Durham (@rhamdu) February 14, 2018
He's clearly not very good at them as the first thing he said on @BBCBreakfast was I'm not going to answer any times tables questions ... shame really as he says children who've done the tests enjoy them!!
— Sue Jones (@SueFJones) February 14, 2018
I'm not going to get into this live on TV
“Eight times nine is a times table. I’m not asking you to change the world,” the ITV host snapped back.
Jeremy’s co-host Kate Garraway jumped in to ask why he refused to answer the question on live television despite insisting eight and nine-year-old’s should be tested in school.
“Hang on though, because that’s an interesting point,” the 50-year-old began. “You don’t want to get into it because you’re worried you might get it wrong.
“I made a fool of myself getting loads wrong and yet look at you, a very successful person who can clearly add up and do maths.
Good Morning Britain: Nick Gibb refused to answer the times table question
Good Morning Britain: Kate poked fun at Nick for not answering the question
“Why is it important for an eight-year-old to do it when you clearly feel vulnerable about it and you’re a government minister.”
Nick snapped back: “Well, no eight-year-old or nine-year-old would be doing it on live television and the results of the check won’t affect those children.”
“And might I add, that while no doubt this will go down like a lead balloon, perhaps more politicians would be successful if they connected with the people who elected them,” Jeremy quipped.
Good Morning Britain: Nick insisted that he knew the answer to the maths question
“What is eight times nine Nick? Come on it’s not difficult.”
Nick once again refused to answer the question, commenting: “I do know the answer to this question but I’m not going to do so on live television. This is an important, serious reform.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am.