A poll of more than 2,500 Australians show strong support for more investment to be made for public schools.

Australian Education Union Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos said the poll revealed the following:

• Almost 70 percent of people believe the federal government is currently giving too much money to private schools and not enough to public schools.

• Two thirds of people said most or all new federal funding should go to public schools.

• Investing in public schools to lower class sizes and increase the individual attention for students was nominated as the number one priority for the Gillard government in education.

• A total of 74 percent of people agreed private school funding should be means-tested to take into account the resources they already have.

“The poll results show there is overwhelming opposition to the current Federal funding arrangements and that Australians want a new funding system and
increased funding for public schools,” Gavrielatos said.“Every child deserves a high quality education. Only by better resourcing public schools can we ensure that they get it.”

He added: “Public schools teach two thirds of students but receive only one third of the money the Federal Government spends on schools. Federal funding for public schools has increased at a far lower rate than that of private schools – some which have had increases of over 360 percent per student in a decade.”