Strike4ClimateChange student protestors: Future ‘dole’ recipients or globally competent citizens?

In November 2018 and again on March 15th this year, thousands of Australian school students walked out of their classrooms to join the global Strike 4 Climate Change movement started by 16-year-old Swedish student Greta Thunberg. Their participation was criticised by many politicians, at state and federal level, including the Prime Minister who claimed they should be in school “learning”. This article will argue that, by considering the issues and participating or choosing not to participate in the Strike, the students were not only learning but developing many of the attributes of global competence. These attributes include knowledge and understanding, skills, values and attitudes, and action. In addition, it will be argued the students were demonstrating all three dimensions of the Australian Curriculum and fulfilling the Melbourne Declaration’s goal of graduating responsible local and global citizens who are both active and informed.