Cochin hijab face-off : Parents decide to shift daughter to new school, minister criticise school management
The decision to change the school comes after days of conflicting statements between the school management and state education minister V Sivankutty, culminating in a stand-off where the school reiterated its strict uniform policy while the family opted to end the dispute by seeking a transfer.
Ernakulam: The controversial hijab face-off has reached a boiling point with the parents of the student deciding that his daughter would leave the school and seek admission in another school. One of the reason the parents cited was the severe mental distress faced his daughter in the school.
Meanwhile, state education minister slammed the school management for the ‘regressive’ protocols and statements made against the state government.
"The school management is fully responsible for the student changing her school”, said V Shivan Kutty to media.
The decision to change the school comes after days of conflicting statements between the school management and state education minister V Sivankutty, culminating in a stand-off where the school reiterated its strict uniform policy while the family opted to end the dispute by seeking a transfer.
The student's father, PM Anas, stated that his daughter is unwell and not mentally prepared to continue her studies at the school. "She doesn't want to continue her studies at the school anymore. The principal said my daughter wearing a hijab is creating fear among other students. That is affecting her severely. We requested the school to permit her to wear the hijab, and the education department found our request was lawful. But the school is still not ready. So we decided to take a transfer."
Anas added that he did not wish to escalate the issue further. His advocate also addressed what they termed "false reports" portraying the family as religious fanatics who don't value their daughter's education, clarifying that Anas's elder daughters are pursuing higher education in the UK and Russia, funded by bank loans he took while working on a boat. The family intends to take legal action against those spreading misinformation.
Shortly after Anas's announcement, the school's principal, Sister Helena, addressed the media. While stating that the student is welcome to continue her education if she abides by the school's rules, she delivered a statement that pointedly thanked various authorities for their "support."