General Education Minister V Sivankutty announced on Tuesday, October 14, that a departmental investigation into the hijab controversy at a school in Ernakulam revealed “serious faults” on the part of the school authorities, according to a New Indian Express report.

The minister’s statement, shared via a social media post, highlighted significant lapses in the school’s handling of the situation. “The deputy director for education in Ernakulam has investigated the issue and reported that there has been serious dereliction of duty on the part of the school that prevented the student from attending classes for wearing a headscarf. This is violation of the educational rights law. The report says it is a violation of the fundamental right of a citizen guaranteed by the Constitution,” Sivankutty said.

Minister supports student’s right to wear headscarf

Addressing the issue, Minister Sivankutty emphasised that the student should be allowed to wear a headscarf in accordance with her religious beliefs. “The school should permit the student to continue education wearing the headscarf, which is part of her religious belief. The school authorities can decide on the colour and design of the headscarf. The school principal and manager have been instructed to address the mental agony of the student and parents and submit a report by 11 am on Wednesday. No student should face such hardship in a state like Kerala which upholds secular values. No educational institution will be allowed to deny rights assured by the Constitution. The government will remain alert in such issues,” he stated, underscoring Kerala’s commitment to secular values and constitutional rights.

Family agrees to follow dress code

The student’s father, P M Anas, confirmed that his daughter would attend school on Wednesday, adhering to the school’s dress code. “We have to compromise to ensure social harmony. Congress leaders came and met me today and I am convinced on the need to compromise to avoid communal divide. My daughter will go to the school following the dress code from tomorrow,” Anas told TNIE.

However, this decision was made before the minister’s clarification on the government’s stance supporting the student’s right to wear a headscarf. Anas noted that the family had not yet finalised whether the student would wear a headscarf.

PTA demands written undertaking

The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) president, Joshy Kaithavalappil, stated that the parent would need to provide a written undertaking to avoid similar issues in the future, indicating ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with school policies while addressing the controversy.