Whakarongo School students with assault weapons during an army base visit last year.

Students will no longer be able to hold or shoot army guns at school under new government guidelines.

The Ministry of Education decision will change the nature of school visits by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), which "will be arranged in line with the new guidelines", a ministry spokeswoman said.

Students can use firearms on and off site for hunting, shooting clubs and competitions, firearms safety courses, work experience, and Anzac Day celebrations – if supervised by a licensed adult.

Several groups consulted said the change was a "knee jerk reaction" to news that soldiers taught children as young as nine how to assemble and shoot assault rifles in a leadership exercise at Whakarongo School, near Palmerston North, last year.

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However, most felt the firearms guide was helpful for schools, which previously operated without one.

"It was trying to be fair to everyone, noting, I hope, that common sense will prevail," New Zealand School Trustees Association president Lorraine Kerr said.

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Signaller Daymond instructs student Kane O'Hara.

Otago University was a notable exception: "As a general principle, guns should be excluded from all New Zealand schools," Professor Kevin Clements said.

"It encourages students to think it's okay to mix an education environment with guns and it's not ... It's in contravention of the whole idea of safety in schools."

Ministry of Education deputy secretary Katrina Casey acknowledged there had been "considerable public debate on the appropriateness of firearms being bought into schools".

A six-week-long consultation with educators, police, shooting groups, and rural organisations "allowed us to understand more about these opinions and concerns", she said.

"It has resulted in a comprehensive set of guidelines that will help schools make informed decisions on whether they will allow student involvement with firearms on and off school grounds, and if so what that would look like."

Individual schools' boards of trustees decide whether to allow firearms for on and off site activities. Those that do must develop a school firearms policy in consultation with their communities.

Schools that opt for a blanket ban don't have to develop a specific policy, but were encouraged to update their general policies "to reflect this stance", guidelines released on Monday said.

Principals must gain families' consent for activities involving firearms, and make sure they are well informed about how children will participate. "Many activities may have a high level of perceived risk but a low level of residual risk," the ministry's guide says.

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Whakarongo School student Kane O'Hara with a Steyr rifle during a visit from soldiers from Linton Army Base.

National Rifle Association New Zealand president Malcolm Dodson said up to 40 secondary schools across the country had shooting clubs.

"In my experience, students of that age are better off learning and getting good instruction from people who know what they're talking about."

Otherwise, "most of what they learn is picked up off television", he said.

Firearms specialist Nicole McKee said hunting and shooting were ingrained in the cultures of "a surprising number" of rural schools, some of which fostered Olympic and Commonwealth games medallists.

"I think there was some ignorance from city parents who didn't realise how many firearms were being transported through schools.

"It came down to a consensus that it is going to happen so let's make it safe."

A statement from Education Minister Chris Hipkins' office said: "Generally, I don't think it's appropriate to have firearms in schools. But I do recognise that there are some circumstances where schools may need to use them for legitimate reasons, such as a sporting activity."

The ministry defined a firearm as anything capable of discharging a bullet, missile or other projectile, regardless of whether it has been dismantled. Paintball guns, BB guns and "any specially dangerous airgun[s]" are included.