The Australian Education Union is calling on Education Ministers to put funding of Australia's public schools at the top of the agenda for Friday's Education Ministers Meeting.
"To make sure that every child in our community gets the support they need to thrive at school, Federal, State and Territory Education Ministers need to ensure that all public schools have the resources they need," AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said.
"The best way to do that is to ensure that all schools are operating at a minimum of 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard, which is recognised as the minimum funding requirement to give every child, regardless of their background, the greatest opportunity to achieve."
"In particular, we are seeking the removal of the 20 per cent cap on Federal funding for public schools, and more investment in public school capital works," Ms Haythorpe said.
"Our members are dedicated professionals, but it is enormously difficult for public school teachers to do the job the Australian community asks of them when they do not have access to the resources they need or to modern, 21st century classrooms and facilities.
"The public school system is the fastest growing schools sector and it urgently requires additional funding to ensure that every child has access to a great education.
"Australia's public school system is one of our great national institutions. Education Ministers must prioritise the development of school funding settings and policies to ensure public school teachers have the resources necessary for their essential role in the lives of Australian children.
"That is critically important for every school and every child."
