New Zealand Principals' Federation president Perry Rush says there is pandemic planning in place, but assures there is "no immediate threat to schooling" amid the fast moving coronavirus situation.
Schools around the country are preparing for all possible impacts from Covid-19, including possible closures to camps, assembly guidelines, staffing levels and maybe school closures.
However, Mr Perry told TVNZ1's Breakfast, while there had been concerns, most schools were "travelling well at the moment".
"There is no immediate threat to schooling currently at the moment so it's really important that mums and dads get their children down to school," he said.
"Schools have excellent procedures in place, we've worked very hard to make sure that there's clear pandemic planning processes and we have confidence in being able to move quickly should the situation worsen.
"There is obviously concern about the virus but most parents and most teachers are taking a pragmatic approach, turning up to school and taking confidence in the timely nature of the Ministry of Education's advice to schools."
But when asked if students were worried, Mr Perry said, young people had been "extraordinary".
"Young people have a wonderful sense of being able to cope in these moments. I think, to be honest, it's more us adults that have a challenge around building confidence that the right processes are in place."
It includes all non-essential events with more than 500 people attending, but doesn’t including schools and universities at this stage.
Yesterday the Government called a halt on gatherings of more than 500 people, so in response Mr Perry said schools had been careful around large gatherings of students like assemblies.
When asked about the possibility of digital learning, he said the Ministry had talked closely with schools about the possibility of learning online, but added there was about 100,000 students New Zealand without access to the internet.
"That's one possible answer in a situation where a school is closed so all schools are assessing their capability at the moment," he said.
"Schooling as we know it, teaching and learning in classrooms, that's going ahead, that's full steam ahead."
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