ABSTRACT
Education today is based on a competitive corporatised model designed for job creation and geared to a market economy. This chapter attempts to present another perspective on the role of education and the school curriculum. It focuses on a holistic interpretation of what schooling should involve in both the formal and the informal curricula in preparing students to be active and committed global citizens who engage in critical thinking about issues related to equity, social justice and human rights in the local as well as global contexts. It explores the importance of engaging in educational activities that will contribute to building a culture of respect that is based on the underlying principles of social justice, human rights and human dignity. In doing so, it briefly considers the place of human rights in the Australian Curriculum and the extent to which the proposed content enables teachers to employ teaching strategies that focus on social justice and human rights.
