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Education

Australia Lags Behind in Public School Funding

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Australian Education Union has welcomed the release of the OECD's Education at a Glance 2025 report, highlighting the urgent need to tackle teacher shortages and ensure full funding of Australia's public schools. The report shows that government investment in non-tertiary education in Australia remains below that of many leading nations, with Australia spending just 1.7% of GDP on secondary schooling, lower than the OECD average. The AEU Federal President, Correna Haythorpe, has expressed concern over the growing inequity between public and private schools, with government funding for private schools far exceeding international norms.

Key Takeaways:

  • The OECD's Education at a Glance 2025 report shows that Australia's government investment in non-tertiary education is below the OECD average, with a spending of 1.7% of GDP on secondary schooling.
  • Australia's investment in public primary schools is also below the OECD average, while government funding for private schools is 29.5% higher than the OECD average.
  • Early childhood education is another area where Australia lags behind, with a spending of just 0.3% of GDP compared to the OECD average of 0.5%.
  • The report reveals that teacher shortages in Australia are among the worst in the OECD, with 47% of Australian schools reporting that learning was hindered by teacher shortages in 2022.
  • Australian teachers work longer hours in larger classes with fewer resources than their colleagues overseas, and growth in teacher salaries has lagged behind the OECD average.
  • The OECD report confirms the need for governments to invest in the teaching workforce through better pay, manageable workloads, and schools that are fully funded and properly resourced.

Statistics:

  • Australia spends 1.7% of GDP on secondary schooling, lower than the OECD average (OECD, Education at a Glance 2025).
  • Government funding for private schools in Australia is 29.5% higher than the OECD average (OECD, Education at a Glance 2025).
  • Australia spends just 0.3% of GDP on preschool education, compared to the OECD average of 0.5% (OECD, Education at a Glance 2025).
  • 47% of Australian schools reported that learning was hindered by teacher shortages in 2022, up from 26% in 2018 (PISA data cited in OECD report).

Sources:

  • Australian Education Union. (2023). Australia lags behind in public school funding. Retrieved from https://www.aeufederal.org.au/news-media/media-releases/australia-lags-behind-public-school-funding
  • OECD. (2025). Education at a Glance 2025. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2025.htm
  • PISA. (2022). PISA 2022 Results. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/data-and-publications/PISA-2022-Results-Data-and-Publications.htm

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