Dalhousie and NSCAD are allowing students and staff to take part in Friday's march without penalty

Some post-secondary schools in Halifax are allowing students to miss class on Friday in order to participate in the global climate strike.

Demonstrations are planned in more than 150 countries with youth around the world demanding immediate action to protect the environment.

Dalhousie University's senate voted this week to give academic amnesty to those who wanted to take part in demonstrations happening in Halifax.

Dalhousie Student Union vice president Hasan Sinan tells NEWS 95.7 they wanted to give everyone on campus the opportunity to be involved.

"The climate crisis is real and we are in a crisis and I think it is very important for people across the board, be it students, faculty members or the administration, if they wish to attend they should be able to," said Sinan.

NSCAD president Aiofe Mac Namara says the climate crisis is the most important issue facing every person on the planet.

"From our perspective, we couldn't in good faith not support our students, but also our staff and faculty who might want to participate in the demonstration," said Mac Namara.

In an email, NSCC communications manager Kathleen Cameron said the college would be asking for flexibility.

"Principals at our campuses across the province are reaching out to their employees to ask them to offer some flexibility to allow attendance at local events for those wishing to support this important action on the Climate Crisis," said Cameron.

Mount Saint Vincent and Saint Mary's universities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

However, on Twitter late Thursday afternoon, SMU said they are encouraging professors to not penalize students who are absent Friday.

"[We] encourage students to make professors aware of their intent to participate, if it means missing a scheduled class activity," said the tweet.

Friday is also a scheduled PD day for primary to Grade 12 students in the Halifax Regional Centre for Education.