Schools outside of Auckland reopened their doors last Thursday after nearly three weeks of classes over Zoom.
Principals across the country have said that few students are arriving to school with masks on, and almost none were still wearing them by the end of the school day.
Teachers now face a daunting challenge - catching students up on 16 days of missed in-person learning.
Nelson's Waimea College principal Scott Haines spoke to Corin Dann.
