The Ministry of Education and New Zealand School Trustees Association is encouraging schools to stay open if the teacher strike happens at the end of this month.
"If this is not possible, they are expected to provide supervision for children who turn up," the Ministry said on its website.
"Whether it is feasible to offer supervision with staff not participating in the strike action or through out of school care providers is a decision for school boards."
If there is not enough staff to safely provide supervision, parents and carers are being asked to make other arrangements, it said.
The advice comes after primary and secondary school teachers across the country voted to unite in a joint strike starting May 29 after turning down the Government's $1.2 billion pay offer , NZEI Te Riu Roa and the Post Primary Teacher's Association (PPTA) announced yesterday.
The joint strike is said to be the largest ever industrial action by New Zealand teachers, covering almost 50,000 members across the two unions.
PPTA president Jack Boyle said yesterday: "Teachers have spoken – they want the Government to find a solution, now. Our children cannot wait, and neither can our teachers."
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said yesterday that the strike was not justified, adding that the Government's pay offer was "the largest that teachers have had in over a decade."
Mr Hipkins instead called for facilitated mediation with the primary school teachers and facilitated bargaining with the secondary school teachers.
"It's important we sit around the negotiating table and work this out, nothing is going to be achieved by going on strike."
Primary teachers' union NZEI is now seeking legal advice over the Ministry of Education request for Employment Relations Authority mediation as negotiations continue, a spokesperson said.
The Ministry of Education has invited NZEI and secondary teachers' association PPTA to join applications to the ERA for facilitated bargaining, it said in a statement yesterday.
Mediation was held between NZEI and MOE last October, where after four days of facilitated bargaining ERA recommended NZEI accept the offer on the table.
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