Twitter users have been submitting questions to be put to the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, in his meeting with the House of Commons Select Committee for Education today.

Speaking to the BBC, an unnamed spokeswoman for the select committee said they wished to reflect the public’s “most pressing concerns in the world of education” by launching a twitter appeal for questions to ask Mr Gove in an oral evidence session held today.

Simply by ‘tweeting’ a question using the hashtag #AskGove, the public were able to convey their questions and concerns directly. The issues that the committee deems most appropriate will now be put to the education secretary.

While a cross-party education committee regularly meets with Gove in its role of scrutinising the government’s education policy, this is the first time a social networking site has been used to allow the public to pose questions directly to the government.

The move was met with resounding enthusiasm from the public in a flurry of activity on Twitter, with as many as 4,000 questions per day being submitted.

Chair of the Select Committee, Graham Stuart MP, came out in support the idea. He said, “This is a good way of breaking down the seemingly vast gap between the governed and the governing.

“The response has been amazing. It’s been quite remarkable and shows there’s a real appetite from the public to help us hold the government to account.

“We are always looking at ways of reaching out and making sure people can use our services to help us hold the government to account.”

When the time allotted for the public to submit questions ended at 11:00 GMT, January 27, a wide range of educational issues had been raised, with Mr Gove’s contentious free school policy provoking a large number of questions.

The conversion of some schools to academies also proved to be a popular point for discussion with one Twitter user stating, “Forcing “sponsored” academies on schools against parents’ wishes: how is this consistent with the rhetoric re-empowering parents?”

@ConsultantHead asked: “Why was £5 million spent upgrading Clare Middle School with 415 pupils into a free school for 180 pupils? Value for money?”

The education secretary will be questioned by the select committee on Tuesday January 31.