Wellington  - A 17-year-old student from South Korea was arrested on Tuesday after a teacher was stabbed in the back as he wrote on a whiteboard while holding a Japanese language class at Auckland's Avondale College.

Police said the student would appear in court Wednesday charged with wounding teacher David Warren, 49, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

About 20 other students were reportedly in the classroom when Warren was attacked. (dpa)