Tony Abbott has been accused of applying a "bit of lipstick" to the coalition's schools funding policy after his surprise backflip on opposition to the government's Better Schools plan.
Following months of confusion about whether the coalition would support Labor's schools overhaul - based on the Gonski panel recommendations - the opposition leader on Friday promised to honour agreements entered into by the Rudd government.
The government and unions say he's trying to neutralise parents' concerns ahead of the federal election.
Mr Abbott says a coalition government would ensure any funding committed for the 2014 school year would still flow to all states and territories, irrespective of whether they signed a deal with the Gillard or Rudd governments.
Labor's funding over the next four years will also be matched.
However, the coalition will amend the Australian Education Act to scrap what they allege is a power grab from Canberra to ensure states, territories and non-government sectors maintain responsibility for their schools.
"As far as school funding is concerned Kevin Rudd and I are on a unity ticket," Mr Abbott told reporters in Melbourne.
"Under the coalition, you'll get the funding, but you won't get the strings attached."
NSW, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT have signed up to the changes, as have independent and catholic schools.
But Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory have so far held out on signing an agreement, with the issue of federal control a major sticking point.
Education Minister Bill Shorten expects Victoria to sign up this weekend.
He says the coalition has "put a bit of lipstick on their own policies" because they were concerned about political backlash.
Mr Shorten questioned the coalition's commitment to the schools funding plan, in which the federal government will offer two dollars for every one dollar the states and territories stump up.
"On the first of August (opposition education spokesman) Christopher Pyne says it's a con and it's a cut in funding and on the second of August they say no actually we're going to do this plan," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne.
The Australian Education Union welcomed the coalition's funding commitment but questioned the motivation behind the change of heart.
"Given the strident anti-Gonski commentary of both Mr Abbott and Mr Pyne as recently as last week, this is clearly more about the election than it is about kids," federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said in a statement.
But Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said Mr Abbott had addressed some of the concerns that had stopped the state signing up to Labor's deal.
"He's already acknowledged that there'll be no federal bureaucracy taking over Queensland schools," he told ABC radio.
"And he's prepared to acknowledge that the state is putting in what it can afford."
After rejecting the government's school reforms last week, the Northern Territory on Friday announced it has struck a deal with the coalition to fund schools with fewer restrictions.
NT Chief Minister Adam Giles said if elected, a coalition government will boost education spending in the Territory by the same amount as federal Labor over the forward estimates, but without the strings attached.
The coalition's plan will give the NT security, Mr Giles said.
