Private schools should face means test: survey

THE vast majority of the community supports means testing private schools to determine the government funds they should receive.

THE vast majority of the community supports means testing private schools to determine the amount of government funding they should receive.

A survey of more than 4000 people commissioned by the Australian Education Union, which represents public school teachers and principals, found that 70 per cent supported means testing the assets and incomes of private schools to set their government funding.

Only 10 per cent of those surveyed disagreed with the suggestion. The survey, conducted at the end of last month, also found that 70 per cent believed the federal government failed to invest enough money in public schools; only 14 per cent said it was investing enough, with the same proportion saying they did not know.

The survey comes as the AEU and the union representing teachers in non-government schools, the Independent Education Union, step up their campaigns ahead of the release of the government's response to the independent review of school funding by businessman David Gonski.

The report and the government's response are expected to be released by the end of the month. The AEU launched a national television advertising campaign yesterday.

Today it sets out on a three-week bus tour of the eastern states.

It is joined by representatives of the national public school parents organisation, the Australian Council of State School Organisations, and principal groups.

The bus tour leaves Brisbane today and travels through Queensland, NSW, the ACT and Victoria, stopping in towns in key electorates to raise awareness about the funding review.

As part of the $1.5 million campaign, the AEU will hold forums, asking parents, teachers and members of the public to sign postcards calling on their local members to support greater funding for public schools.

The union will hold campaign days early next month in South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

"We want to enlist the support of parents and teachers across Australia to convey to the Prime Minister and the government that now is the time to invest in our public schools," said AEU federal president Angelo Gavrielatos.

IEU federal secretary Chris Watt said his union was running a public awareness campaign.

The union fears a new funding model will cut government funding to independent and Catholic schools.