Guidelines on when and how teachers would be allowed to search school pupils have been completed, and are being considered by lawyers before being published, Prime Minister John Key announced this week.
The searching of pupils would only be permitted under strict guidelines, and the document would be published "soon", he said.
The guidelines had been developed in response to the increasing amount of drugs in schools and incidents in which teachers had been assaulted with weapons.
The requirement for the guidelines had been highlighted by recent incidents at Avondale College and Te Puke High School, where teachers had been stabbed by pupils.
"We are not looking to give them [teachers] new powers, but we are looking to clarify what their rights are," Mr Key said.
Strip-searching was a possibility.
"I can't imagine a situation where a teacher can just easily search a student. There would have to be very strict guidelines."
The guidelines would advise on how to search pupils for illicit items without fear of legal recriminations, covering anything from asking a pupil to turn out their pockets to a full body check.
Youth Law solicitor John Hancock previously said it amounted to random searches, which even the police did not have the power to do.
Otago Secondary Principals' Association chairwoman Julie Anderson said most schools in New Zealand already had their own search and seizure policies.
"If we think someone has something in their possession, we [Queen's High School staff] ask if they are happy for us to search their bags.
"If they don't want us to, we contact the student's parents and get them to come in. If it was more serious, we would contact the police."
While most schools were comfortable with their own policies, many would be keen to see if the guidelines offered greater protection from legal recriminations, she said.
"The Government's guidelines will clarify the existing policies that schools have, and ensure schools act lawfully and protect teachers and students," she said.
Although there had been no incidents involving teachers being attacked with weapons by pupils in Otago schools, Mrs Anderson said the policy had become increasingly necessary.
"Tobacco and drugs are more prevalent in society than they were 10 years ago.
"There have been incidents in Otago schools where these policies have had to be implemented at times."
