Greens candidate Chris Parker said regional schools should not have to compete with city schools for funding.

“Teachers have to contend with increasing class sizes and are unable to give students the same choices as experienced in schools closer to our major cities,” Mr Parker said.

“A proper education is vital in our regional areas to ensure that regional population growth continues to expand.”

Independent Tim Duddy has called for more support for Upper Hunter teachers.

“We have a number of great public schools in this electorate, with excellent teachers, but more funding is needed to bring facilities into the 21st century,” he said.

“Investment in more teachers is essential to reduce class sizes and improve opportunities for children with special needs.”

Incumbent Nationals candidate George Souris said children must have equitable access to the best education available.

He said there should be adequate funding for rural high schools and central schools to offer a sufficient subject range and enough support resources to let teachers concentrate on teaching.

Mr Duddy said it was vital to install seatbelts on school buses.

“It is not acceptable that we have school children travelling at speed on a major busy highway without the protection of a seatbelt,” he said.

Mr Souris said the seatbelts on buses issue had been a concern for a long time.

The Coalition intends to launch a review so seatbelts can be installed on buses progressively, starting with longer country routes.

Mr Souris also highlighted the need for students to be fully equipped in information technology with access to the internet and modern computing facilities.

Country Labor candidate Michael Gibbons identified maintaining infrastructure and training teachers as key education priorities.

Christian Democrat Fred Cowley said regional schools faced issues like a smaller number of teachers to oversee specialties like sport, music and public speaking.

He said there had also been a rise in composite classes and increase in the number of students with learning difficulties, with schools needing more staff to share the workload.