Williamson ridiculed over ‘face-to-face’ plea via Zoom

THE Education Secretary has told university leaders they must return to faceto-face teaching, but was ridiculed for delivering the message via videolink.

Gavin Williamson had been due to address vice-chancellors at the annual Universities UK (UUK) conference in Newcastle yesterday morning. But he cancelled at the last minute and appeared “virtually” instead, with aides saying the Wednesday evening vote on heath and social care plans, which took place just before 7.30pm, meant he was unable to travel this morning.

Speaking from his office in Westminster, Mr Williamson said universities “cannot ignore” the desire from students for in-person teaching to return.

“While the switch to online teaching was a necessary and vital way of keeping young people learning in as safe a way as possible, we have now moved on and students quite rightly expect that they can study in person alongside other students,” he said.

“Imagine trying to make sense of the subtleties of interpreting Chekov for the stage or carrying out complex molecular biology techniques over Zoom. I for one would need the full benefit of that in-person, world-class teaching that you and your members can rightly be so proud of.”

He said while health and safety measures are important to limit the spread of Covid, lectures must not be moved online as a “cost-cutting” measure.

But Mr Williamson was mocked on social media for delivering his message online rather than in person. It is the second time this week he has been ridiculed, after confusing Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford with England rugby star Maro Itoje.

During an interview with the Evening Standard, he was asked whether he had met Rashford, who has campaigned on child poverty during the pandemic.

Mr Williamson said: “We met over Zoom and he seemed incredibly engaged, compassionate and charming but then he had to shoot off. I didn’t want to be the one that was holding him back from his training.” The write-up of the interview went on to state Mr Williamson’s team admitted he had instead met Itoje as part of the rugby forward’s campaign to ensure all children had the use of a laptop at home.