Education Minister Christopher Pyne has told Christian school leaders that his government has an ''emotional commitment'' to private schools, prompting fears the Abbott government will abandon public schools.

Speaking at a Christian Schools Australia national policy dinner in Canberra this week, Mr Pyne assured the school leaders he did not want to sever long-held ties with Christian and independent schools.

"The emotional commitment within the federal government is to continue to have a direct relationship with the non-government schools sector": Education Minister Christopher Pyne. Credit:Andrew Meares

''I want to have a direct relationship with the non-government sector, as I believe we have had since 1963,'' Mr Pyne said. ''Having talked to the Prime Minister about this matter many times, it is his view that we have a particular responsibility for non-government schooling that we don't have for [state] government schooling.''

Mr Pyne assured the Christian schools he could not ''see those circumstances changing''.