The Government has announced details of legislation to be pushed through Parliament to help speed up the recovery process in quake-devastated Canterbury.

Several Christchurch hotels have slashed room rates in the wake of Christchurch's "horrendous" magnitude 7.1 quake, with one hotel chief saying everybody needed to "chip in".

Most Canterbury schools today reopened after the September 4 magnitude 7.1 earthquake, but aftershocks continue.

A drunk Auckland high school pupil was taken to hospital after falling over and knocking his head in a physical education class.

Some 1200 Canterbury school children will not be able to return to their schools for weeks.

Secondary teachers' plans to go on strike next month show they disconnected from the real world, Prime Minister John Key says.

The teacher stabbed by a Korean student at Avondale College has been criticised in an inquiry into the incident.

A shoplifting spree in Queenstown has concluded with four boys expelled from their Melbourne school.

Thousands have farewelled a teenage girl killed while driving with friends to pick up their school ball gowns.

Kristi-Rae Ruri-Gardiner was well known for her kind and giving nature and finally donated her organs.

A two-car crash which left five Rotorua Girls' High School students injured today has been "absolutely devastating", principal Annette Joyce says.

An Education Review Office survey of 229 schools found about 20pc had inadequate inclusive practices for special needs pupils.

Education Minister Anne Tolley has told principals they should stop talking to the media and focus on implementing the controversial national standards.

Teachers who were sacked or quit over alarming conduct remained registered to teach on the official database that is supposed to warn parents and schools.