Schools were told of the halt to the rostering off of year 10 pupils at 4.30pm yesterday - more than an hour after most secondary schools had closed for the day.
PPTA president Kate Gainsford said last night the suspension came after the Ministry of Education "insisted that we couldn't possibly talk unless it is called off".
The suspension was "certainly not our preference" but was an act of good faith to encourage the ministry to reinvigorate stalled contract talks.
The ministry and PPTA bargaining teams would meet today for talks that were likely to focus on class size and teaching conditions.
The teachers' union could restore industrial action tomorrow if the new talks came to nothing, Ms Gainsford confirmed.
"We have a very limited amount of time in which to reach an agreement, and we would prefer to use that time productively and toward getting a resolution," she said.
"But the option of further action remains absolutely very real."
Otago Secondary Principals' Association chairwoman Julie Anderson said the notification came far too late for schools to inform their year 10 pupils of the change.
"We were told a decision about whether the strike would go ahead or not would be made on Tuesday at lunchtime.
"That deadline passed without any news, so we sent notices home to parents on Tuesday afternoon saying the strike was on.
"That announcement can't be undone. The decision about lifting the strike action needed to be done when they said it would."
While teachers would be at school as usual today, many year 10 pupils would not, she said.
"It's fair to say there will be some confusion among students. Many others may not even hear about the change because they may not watch morning television or read the newspaper."
Kaikorai Valley College principal Philip Craigie was baffled by the late notice.
"We've tried to keep everyone informed, but if decisions are made at the last moment like this, it causes all kinds of disruption.
"How are we supposed to tell the kids at this late stage?"
I suspect there will be no year 10 kids at school [today].
"But on the other side of the coin, it's good that the PPTA and the ministry are back around the negotiating table," he said.
Ms Gainsford was unavailable for further comment yesterday.
PPTA executive Otago representative Jo Hunter said the PPTA was also annoyed at the late notification from the Ministry of Education, but had to suspend the strike action because the ministry would not negotiate otherwise.
"We were placed between a rock and a hard place. We knew it was too late for schools to notify pupils but we had to call it off, because it was the last opportunity for us to resolve the dispute this year," she said.
