Wellington, Jan 18 NZPA - The number of Ministry of Education interventions at at-risks schools substantially has increased fourfold in the past two years.

Figures for 2009 released today showed the department dealt with 47 cases, a 50 percent increase compared to 2008 with 32 interventions, and a hike of more than 400 percent from 2007 with 11 cases, The New Zealand Herald reported.

"We don't like seeing an increase like that," Ministry of Education Auckland regional manager Bruce Adin.

"If it continues to track up like that I'd be concerned."

Mr Adin said most intervention cases started with an Education Review Office (ERO), report and later combined with other information obtained about the school.

"From that we form a formal intervention report and make a recommendation to the minister."

When the operation of the school, welfare or education performance of the students were believed to be at risk, the ministry could intervene under the Education Act 1989.

Intervention could be led by factors such as student trouble and problems with the board, Mr Adin said.

It could result in the dissolution of the school's board and appointment of a commissioner.

Cases were reviewed at least every 12 months and adjusted accordingly.

Mr Adin said that with about 6000 schools in New Zealand, interventions were rare but "one's one too many".