The federal coalition has failed to win parliament's approval for a judicial inquiry into Labor's $16.2 billion schools building program.

A private member's bill for an inquiry into the Building the Education Revolution (BER), introduced by opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne, was defeated at the second reading stage today.

House leader Anthony Albanese said Mr Pyne, who is also the manager of opposition business, could not manage to drag himself into the chamber to call for a vote.

That showed the coalition's campaign against the Building the Education Revolution program had no substance and was all about stunts.