Australian schools will be required to act on bullying complaints within 48 hours to nip worrying behaviour in the bud.

State and territory education ministers have backed the key recommendation of the national anti-bullying plan following a meeting on the Gold Coast on Friday.

Teachers will be supported with extra training and tools to deal with bullying and act on it earlier, with the federal government tipping $5 million into resources for educators, parents and students.

"While parents have told us they want action earlier, teachers have told us that they need the tools and the training so that they can do the job," federal Education Minister Jason Clare told Channel Nine on Saturday.

"They have such a heavy workload."

Another $5 million in federal funds will go towards a national

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