Blunt message to students from NSW Education Minister

The NSW Education Minister has delivered some blunt advice to school students who are planning to do this one thing.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has told students to stay in school and save activism for the weekends, ahead of the fifth annual School Strike 4 Climate event in Sydney.

“It’s a school day; kids need to be going to school,” she told Ben Fordham on 2GB on Friday morning.

The protest kicked off at 12.30pm, drawing a crowd of around 1000 people at the gates of the Prime Minister’s Sydney residence at Kirribilli House.

Around 1000 students and allies protested climate action on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

‘The Red Brigade’ are a regular feature of climate protests in their striking red cloaks and silent form of protest. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

“If they feel strongly about any issue, they can do this sort of stuff on the weekend or after school,” Ms Mitchell said on the matter.

“School holidays aren’t far away, today is Friday – tomorrow you could literally do this on a Saturday morning”.

The school strike movement was founded by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who at the age of 15 decided she would not attend school until her country’s government moved forward with reducing its climate emissions.

Protesters stood on the doorstep of the PM’s Sydney residence at Kirribilli House to demand climate action. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Students did not heed Education Minister Sarah Mitchell’s request that they ‘need to be going to school’ as they protested for climate action. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

The NSW Teachers Federation union – which represents all public school teachers – has been promoting the strike on its social media platform.

“I completely disagree with the union,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Particularly with the disruption we’ve had in the past couple of years. If you want to be a passionate advocate for something that you believe in (the best way) is to be an informed citizen”.

One hundred and eighty-nine schools were recently closed in NSW as a result of widespread major flooding events, which swallowed whole towns with record water volumes.