Poll shows support

Support for public schools continues to be very strong in the community, an ACNielsen poll has revealed.

Federation President Maree O'Halloran said: "In the face of the Howard Government's deliberate undermining of our great public schools, 86 per cent of people polled believe that the Federal Government needs to invest more in public education."

Respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed that the Federal Government needs to invest more in public education.

The results were:

Strongly agree 60 per cent
Agree 26 per cent
Neither agree or disagree 2 per cent
Disagree 5 per cent
Strongly disagree 2 per cent

The polling was conducted by ACNielsen April 23-25. The sample size was 425 people of voting age across NSW.

Ms O'Halloran said both federal and state governments fund education and both have chronically under-invested in public education.

"This year the Federal Government will take its policies to the polls. Where the Howard Government has a choice over education expenditure, it chooses to direct more than 70 per cent to private schools," she said.

"Since 1996 the Howard Government has radically increased expenditure on private school students."

For every dollar directly spent on a student in a public school, its expenditure on private schools students has increased as follows:

1996 $3.50
2001 $4.00
2004/5 $5.00

"Even the richest private schools now receive more direct Federal funding from the Howard Government than public schools. This unfair funding scheme must be changed," Ms O'Halloran said.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005