Kerala Minister Orders School to Allow Muslim Girl to Wear Hijab, Upholding Religious Freedom in Education

Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty has instructed a Christian-managed private school in Kochi to permit a Muslim student to continue her education while wearing her hijab, a religious headscarf.

The minister has additionally requested a comprehensive report from St Rita's Public School authorities regarding their previous denial of the student's religious rights, which reportedly caused significant mental distress to the eighth-grade student.

The school administration had declared a two-day closure on Monday following an escalation in the dispute with the parents of the student concerning her wearing of the hijab.

In an official statement released Tuesday, Minister Sivankutty directed the school's principal and management to address the psychological impact experienced by both the student and her family after she was prohibited from attending classes while wearing her religious headscarf.

School officials were instructed to submit a detailed report to the minister by 11 am on Wednesday regarding this matter.

Sivankutty issued this directive following a thorough investigation conducted by the Ernakulam Deputy Director of Education. The inquiry concluded that there had been a significant failure in duty on the part of the school authorities.

Referencing the investigation findings, the minister emphasized that removing a student from class because of wearing a headscarf constitutes a serious violation of educational responsibilities and contravenes the Right to Education Act.

"According to the report, the school's actions directly contradicted the fundamental religious freedoms guaranteed to all citizens under the Indian Constitution," stated Sivankutty.

The minister firmly asserted that no student should experience such difficulties in Kerala, a state that upholds secular principles and values.

He further emphasized that no educational institution would be permitted to violate constitutional rights in the state.

Based on the investigation's conclusions, the minister has mandated that the school must allow the student to continue her studies while wearing her hijab, though the institution retains the right to determine the appropriate color and design of the headscarf.

The investigation was initiated following a formal complaint submitted by the father of the eighth-grade student, according to the official statement.

Earlier that day, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden reported that the girl's father had expressed willingness for his daughter to continue her education at the institution in accordance with its established regulations.

On Monday, a school PTA representative alleged that the parents were supported by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), described as a pro-Islamist political organization, claiming that its members had behaved inappropriately toward school authorities, most of whom are nuns.

The controversy became public after a letter from Sister Heleena Alby, the school principal, announcing a two-day school closure on Monday and Tuesday, circulated on social media platforms.

In her letter, the principal explained that the holidays were declared because several students and staff members had requested leave citing mental stress due to pressure from a particular student who attended without wearing the prescribed uniform, her parents, and certain individuals not affiliated with the school.