The public is pretty split on who they back in the dispute between teachers and the province.

A new Ipsos Reid poll done for Newstalk1010 shows half of the people asked blame both sides for what's going on at the province's schools.

Pollster John Wright says the public isn't even sure what the argument is about, with 50% thinking it's about wages and benefits, and the other 50% saying it's about the bargaining process.

Wright also says about 3 quarters of the population wants there to be centralized bargaining every couple of years, rather than the case by case negotiations the unions are pushing for at the board level.

2/3rds of the public also believes teachers are very well compensated, and extracurricular activities should be included as part of their day.

Some would even call them 'pampered' and the majority of those asked say the extra hours should no longer be voluntary.

The one thing that 80 percent of respondents say, is that if teachers don't want to do extra-curricular activities, then parents should be allowed to take over, as long as they are screened and insured.

Wright says people are pretty frustrated with what's going on, and they want a resolution to this dispute.

The poll was done between January 7 and the 10th, and asked 800 people across the province.

It's accurate to within +/- 3.9 percentage points.