The father of the eighth-grade student in Kerala who faced a ban on wearing the hijab said that they have decided to discontinue her studies at Palluruthy St. Rita’s School, as his daughter is mentally distressed, while also expressing gratitude to the government and the education minister for intervening in the matter.
PM Anas, the student’s father, addressing the media, emphasised that nothing should happen in society that disturbs communal harmony.
“My daughter has been mentally disturbed, suffering from fear and anxiety. It was her wish and ours that she attend school wearing the hijab, as per our religious practice. But when we made this legitimate request, the school authorities refused,” he said.
He noted that the education minister, others, and the government took a supportive stand when he complained.
“Still, the management did not allow her to attend school wearing the hijab.”
“When I asked my daughter whether she wanted to continue there, she said it was mentally very difficult for her. So, for her education, her future, and to avoid any social tension or harm to peace, we decided to move her to another school. I do not want any trouble in this area because of us,” he emphasised.
He alleged that when his daughter attended school wearing a headscarf, “some nuns who also covered their heads claimed that her attire frightened other children,” highlighting the irony.
He also alleged that some political party leaders and public representatives portrayed both his daughter and him as “culprits” and pressured them to withdraw their demand, which he said caused “unbearable pressure” on the family.
“I can’t send my daughter to a school that says such things,” he said, adding, “We are thankful to the government for intervening fairly.”
“Although our demand was legitimate, we have realized over these days that many are trying to exploit it for political and communal gains. The communal intervention led by the school’s PTA president has caused severe emotional trauma to both me and my daughter,” the father said.
“The allegation that the incident disrupted peace in the community has mentally shattered the family. People are speaking as if we’ve done something wrong, which is deeply painful,” he said, asserting that no child should ever have to go through such a situation again and that the school must never treat any student or parent in a way that causes such distress.
He said that the school authorities and teachers haven’t contacted them so far or tried to discuss anything.
The father also denied the school management’s claim that the girl was not removed from the class, stating, “The CCTV footage will show that she was removed from class. When I went to pick her up on Friday, she was standing in the sun in the school compound.”
He also pointed out that “when we applied for admission, there was no mention of any ban on headscarves. If we had known that, we would never have enrolled her there,” he said.
Reacting to this, Kerala General Education Minister said, “If the child is facing mental distress, the school authorities will be held responsible.”
He warned that those accountable for the student’s transfer would have to respond to the government.
“We will act based on the Constitution and national educational rights laws. The mental pressure the child has been under for the past week is immense. How can one behave like this with a young student? This is an issue that should have been discussed and resolved, not escalated,” he said.
The minister further stated that even if it concerns a single child, the government’s stand is to protect that child.
Criticising the school, he stated that the government also has the authority to decide which schools can function and reminded the management that they cannot claim to be independent of government oversight, citing the Kerala Education Rules (KER).
Earlier, the Education Minister said that the Palluruthy St. Rita’s School management had committed a “serious lapse” and directed the school to allow the student to wear the hijab.
He also instructed the principal and management to fully address the mental distress faced by the student and her parents and to submit a report on the matter by 11 a.m. on October 15, 2025.
He later alleged that the school management and PTA had reacted with “political motives” in the hijab controversy, attempting to criticise the government and the education department.
“They should not try to challenge the government. They must act in accordance with the Constitution and court rulings, otherwise, there will be consequences,” the minister warned.
He reiterated that “no child’s right to education should be denied for any reason, which was why the government intervened,” he said.
The school’s principal, Sr. Heleena, claimed that the dress code had been clearly communicated to all students at the time of admission and that the staff had asked the student to comply “in a loving way.”
However, according to the Ernakulam Deputy Director of Education’s report, there was no mention of a ban on headscarves in St. Rita’s School’s rulebook.
Principal Sister Helina Albin dismissed the report as false, claiming, “We have not expelled the student. She is still enrolled in the school. The institution functions in compliance with the court’s directive. We will approach the High Court against the education minister’s action. The court has ruled that the school has the authority to determine its own uniform.”
After two days of closure, St. Rita’s Public School reopened on Thursday. The school had been closed on Monday following the controversy.
Earlier, Bishop Yuhanon Mar Milithios also questioned the school’s decision, asking, “What uniform rule is there for children that doesn’t apply to teachers?”
The Metropolitan Bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church further asked, “Will wearing a cross around the neck, a bindi on the forehead, or bangles on the wrist also be banned?”
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