About 50,000 primary, secondary and kindergarten teachers are on strike, calling for more resources to do their jobs and pay rises that keep pace with inflation.
The strikes were organised by the Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) and New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) after talks with the Ministry of Education stalled.
Teachers have rejected a $6000 pay rise over two years and, for primary teachers, $1300 in one-off payments and 15 more hours per term of classroom release time.
Only secondary school principals have accepted the ministry's offer, which for them was a $4000 pay rise plus a further 3 percent at the end of this year and a $6000 wellbeing allowance.
The strike is only the second time primary and secondary school teachers have walked off the job on the same day, and the first time kindergarten teachers have joined them.
Most schools closed for the day and there were rallies around the country.
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