The recommendation for mask-wearing at schools will be more difficult to manage than if it was compulsory, the head of the Secondary Principals' Association says.
File photo. Photo: 123RF
A new set of rules on face masks comes into effect when the country outside Auckland drops down to level 2. Face coverings will be mandatory at level 2 in most indoor public venues, such as such as libraries, cinemas and museums.
The government is strongly recommending mask-wearing for students aged 12 and over when they go back to school on Thursday, but is not making it compulsory.
Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault said a recommendation rather than a rule can cause conflict when things are inconsistent across schools or across the country.
"What we are likely to find with a recommendation is people wondering what to do" - Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault
"There will be a lot of anxiety with people going from level 3 to level 2 and the recommendation as opposed to the compulsion will probably be adding to that anxiety where people are trying to decide what to do.
"It's a little bit easier to follow a rule than it is to decide what to do."
Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault. Photo: RNZ
Couillault said a rule was easier for schools to manage, and would reduce the chance of conflict where students or teachers felt wronged.
"What we are likely to find with a recommendation is people wondering what to do."
The key would be consistency across a school or local area. "Everybody doing the same thing would certainly make it a little bit easier."
While teaching can be more difficult when everyone is wearing a mask, it is preferable to distance learning, he said.
"If you ask me to pick online learning at home or at school with a mask, I'd go with a face-to-face every day."
Principals' Federation president Perry Rush, whose organisation represents heads of primary and intermediate schools, said he had written to the Secretary for Education asking for the rationale for optional mask-wearing in schools.
"We're just really interested in the rationale" - Principals' Federation president Perry Rush
"Why is it the case that the public would be expected to wear masks indoors but we have this voluntary but recommended advice for use in schools. That's just not consistent and we're just really interested in the rationale."
The guidance does not affect primary schools though would take in some intermediate students.
"It's very difficult for young people, particularly young primary aged students, to be wearing masks, that's not a common sense arrangement.
"However what we know is we've all in this country been very effective at following health advice, health has driven us, so we'd like some clarity and accuracy on what is the health rationale for this decision."
"If it's ... important and mandatory for the public, why is there a different arrangement for those 12-plus students?"
Vaughan Couillault said when schools came out of of level 3 into level 2 last year, there was a noticeable number of staff and students wearing masks.
"That tended to drop away fairly quickly.
"In my particular school, there was a number of staff who continued to wear masks at staff meetings when we were all squished into the staff room and that lasted about two or three weeks."