Hundreds of thousands of New Zealand children returned to school Monday after two months of home education as part of a COVID-19 lockdown.

The return to a noisy, bustling environment would be a "culture shock" after a challenging period for both children and parents, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. 

"Our message is it's safe to send kids back to school, we want kids back at school and catching up with any learning that they've lost during the lockdown."

New Zealand, with a population of 5 million, has recorded, according to Johns Hopkins University data, 1,499 coronavirus cases and 21 deaths, with its success largely attributed to an early lockdown on March 25, when there were fewer than 150 cases and no fatalities in the country. 

The lockdown has been widely observed countrywide, despite stringent regulations, which forced people to stay indoors unless shopping for essentials or taking a brief respite of exercise within their neighborhood.

New Zealand's government has won international praises, including from the World Health Organization, for its swift and strict actions.

Most restrictions ended last Thursday but schools were given extra time because of the difficulty in implementing health protocols among the very young.

Instead of escorting their children to class, parents dropped them at "kiss and go" zones, while early childhood centers recorded personal details needed for contact tracing.

There were mixed feelings about the return to lessons among some students who said the lengthy time at home had been "boring" but appreciated not having to wake up early and having more free time than usual.

Tanya, a mother of two students, said she had some concerns but trusted the information she got from the government.

(With input from agencies)