A Dunedin high school has again been targeted in a hoax bomb scare.
Staff and pupils from Logan Park High School were evacuated about 12.20pm yesterday after an automated phone message made a threat against the school.
It was one of several New Zealand schools to be threatened.
Police would not release the names of the schools involved, but other media reported schools in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Masterton and Christchurch were affected.
Logan Park High School had been affected by at least three other similar threats this year, the first in January.
Assistant principal Kristan Mouat said she believed the threats were "random" and did not know why Logan Park was repeatedly targeted.
"It will be interesting to see if it’s connected," she said.
In February, hoax threats were made to more than 30 schools nationally, including Logan Park High.
The calls occurred over two days and were believed to be linked.
Foreign media reported schools in Australia were also affected by hoaxes yesterday.
Ms Mouat said she understood at least five other schools in the South Island were also targeted.
Police and the Fire Service swarmed to the school, staff and pupils were evacuated and cleared to enter again by about 1.30pm.
Two pupils sitting a media studies scholarship exam had to be isolated and were allowed to complete the last 10 minutes of their exams. The hoax had come at a busy time of year for the school as exams were in full swing.
"It’s very frustrating for the police and fire brigade and schools," Ms Mouat said.
Police said in a statement that officers responded to "calls of a concerning nature directed to a number of schools throughout the country".
They would not comment on the names or number of schools involved.
"Police will not be disclosing the names of each school who has received a call today given the ongoing investigation and in the interest of preventing further such calls being made to other schools," the statement said.
"The safety of students, teachers and schools are our priority.
"We understand the fear and concern that these calls cause, however we reiterate that so far we have not established any actual threat to any school."
Police would not confirm the threat against Logan Park High School had been deemed a hoax because of the policy against naming individual schools.
