The New South Wales Teacher Federation is hitting the road across the nation as it campaigns for fair education funding before this year's Federal Election.
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The campaign through regional Australia involves representatives and branded vans visiting schools from February until the official budget is revealed during April in Canberra and continues until elections are called later this year.
NSW Teachers Federation president Maurie Mulheron, a former principal at Keira High School in Wollongong for 10 years, is spearheading the drive on NSW’s mid-north coast said education spending was at a critical tipping point.
"We'll be visiting members up here and we are going north up to Kempsey and Coffs Harbour," he said.
"We're going to be talking to members about where we are in the campaign, seeking their support to volunteer.
"This Federal election from our point of view is potentially watershed moment, if we don't see a change of government we will see the continuation of an unfair system (against public schooling) and continual deals for the non-government sector."
Annual per student growth in funding public schools has grown by 0.36 per cent in 2016/17, compared to 3.7 per cent for private schools according to the Productivity Commission’s Report into Government Services.
Government funding for public schools has risen by 10.8 per cent and 29.7 per cent for the private sector over the last decade.
"The standard (of education) is very high (in Mid North Coast NSW), it's on the sheer good will and dedication of our teachers but we are saying that it could be so much better," said Mr Mulheron, who visited Port Macquarie on February 8.
"Teachers haven't been given the tools that are required for what we expect as a community.
"We can have a situation where we start to restore balance into the situation... for rural and regional kids that's going to be very significant."
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