PUZZLING messages from Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne.

Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne has puzzled indigenous education experts after stating current funding levels may not be raised, but instead funding could be spent in a "better way".

Mr Pyne made the statement during a flying visit to the Far North on Thursday which saw him take in the remote Cape York school of Bamaga.

However when asked if the Abbott government's focus on Indigenous issues would lead to increased funding Mr Pyne was philosophic.

"Whether there's more funding or whether the current amount of funding is spent better is a different question," he said.

"Whether there's a bigger envelope of spending or whether the current envelope of spending is spent better is an interesting debate."

Mr Pyne instead highlighted a raft of initiatives aimed at increasing indigenous education attendance.

"We are spending money on truancy officers, real nuts and bolts programs and more advertising," he said.

"Effective TV advertising campaigns make a real difference ... often children watch TV when they should be at school so having ads reminding them they should be there really works."

But James Cook University lecturer and indigenous education expert Max Lenoy said this was "policy on the fly".

"This policy doesn't use solid research in indigenous communities on what's working and what isn't," he said.

"There needs to be more dedicated funding to address indigenous numeracy and literacy and to ensure they're supported in school."

Mr Lenoy said the biggest issue was providing indigenous community members to liaise with students.

"We need to support them, not implement a system to make them more westernised," he said.

"It's about understanding their cultural values and their history.

"Funding needs to be more directed at making black students stronger in their identity, not making them more white."

