When asked about the search of pupils' bags en masse on Thursday last week, Ministry of Education head of sector enablement and support, Katrina Casey, said the school might not have followed some of the ministry's ''Guidelines for the surrender and retention of property and searches'' in schools.
Asked what those might have been, she said Waitaki Boys' commissioner Nicola Hornsey ''indicated there might have been procedural errors''.
Yesterday, the Otago Daily Times reported pupils were called out by a fire drill to the tennis courts with their bags. After pupils were sent to an assembly, a detector dog was used to sniff bags.
Some pupils who had bags identified by the dog were called out and being questioned when other pupils left assembly.
The newspaper found a number of possible breaches of the guidelines, including conducting a blanket search of pupils or their property, only being allowed to use a detector dogs to search school property (buildings and grounds), conducting a search of pupils' bags without reasonable cause, only approved and named staff can conduct a search and the provisions of the Privacy Act and Human Rights Act apply.
While accepting some of the issues raised by the ODT were correct, Ms Casey, said the ministry did not use the word ''breach''.
''We have no role in determining such legal matters. The guidelines are intended to help schools interpret those parts of the Education Act 1989 associated with the search and confiscation of property.''
The guidelines were prepared after working closely with schools, sector groups and others to clarify drug searches.
''We are working with Waitaki Boys' to ensure the school understands the rules and we have been advised the school is reviewing its processes to ensure any errors that may have been made are not repeated,'' Ms Casey said.
Further advice would be provided where appropriate, but how the school responded to any issues parents had was a matter for Ms Hornsey, Ms Casey said.
Since the board of trustees was stood down in October and Ms Hornsey was appointed in its place, the school had been working hard to overcome the challenges it faced.
The ministry was committed to continue to support the school to help pupils continue to learn and achieve in a safe and supportive environment, Ms Casey said.
Ms Hornsey did not respond to a request for confirmation a fire drill was used to get pupils out of classrooms. She also did not give any details of the search, but said it was done with the best intentions and the way it was carried out would be reviewed.
