Around 30 schools in the Bay of Plenty/Waiariki have reported having known Covid-19 cases.

This is according to the data released to SunLive from the Ministry of Education this week.

Of those schools, 11 are early childhood education centres, 10 are primary schools, two are intermediate and seven are colleges.

Nationally, there are 447 known Covid cases in education centres.

Ministry of Education central leader Jocelyn Mikaere says schools and kura remain open for learning under the Red traffic light setting.

She says every school or kura will have their own plan that best meets the needs of all their students and staff under the Covid Protection Framework.

'We are working closely with the Regional Public Health Services to support schools currently managing positive cases.

'Schools are responsible for determining and informing close contacts. We support most schools with determining who the close contacts are.”

Jocelyn says schools are doing a great job providing up to date health information and assurance to their students, staff, and parent community that everything that needs to be done is being done and their safety and wellbeing is the top priority.

'We are keeping all schools and kura updated through our school bulletins, which is our central channel for communicating key information to school leaders. We make sure our advice is accurate and complies with Health guidance and relevant legislation and Health orders.”

There is Covid-19 information for parents and family on the ministry's parents webpage

The Unite against Covid-19 website also has information available, including education at red

'It is important to note that this information is a snapshot and numbers will likely have changed as the week has progressed.

'It cannot be compared to Ministry of Health data which is significantly more detailed and comprehensive.

'Local public health units are managing and investigating cases and it can take time for the complete data of these investigations to be included in the Ministry of Health's national databases.

'For that reason, this information must be considered and reported as standalone and is not definitive.”

The following table sets out the number of schools, kura and ELS by Education region, as of 10.30am February 21 that are being supported by regional education offices with case management.

* Note there may be multiple active cases in a school or early learning service

* Once the school, kura or ECE has implemented its Covid Protection Framework (CPF) response and no longer needs our support, for example with contact tracing or communications with its parent community, then our reporting considers the case as closed.