Hyderabad School Row: Family Alleges Student Was Asked To Recite Kalma and Fatiha
A private school in Hyderabad's Saidabad has come under scrutiny after the parents of a Class 2 Hindu student alleged their six-year-old child was assigned Islamic prayers, including 'Read Kalma 1 and 2' and 'Read Fatiha,' as homework. The family has sought an Education Department inquiry, while the school management has not publicly responded to the allegations.
A controversy has erupted at Success School in Hyderabad's Saidabad area after the parents of a six-year-old Hindu student alleged that their Class 2 child was instructed to recite Islamic prayers as part of his homework. The family has demanded action against the school management and called for an investigation by the Education Department, alleging that the child was assigned religious exercises despite belonging to a different faith.
According to the family, the student's homework diary contained instructions to "Read Kalma 1 and 2" and "Read Fatiha," the opening chapter of the Quran. After discovering the entries, the parents approached the school management to seek an explanation. The school has not publicly responded to the allegations. US: Indian-Origin Man Syed Sohailuddin Stabbed Multiple Times Over His Religion in Valley Fair Mall, Family Seeks Help.
Family Claims Similar Instructions Appeared Earlier
A relative of the child said she noticed the homework while checking the student's diary after bringing him home from school. "I had gone to pick up my nephew, who is six years old and studying in Class 2, from school. When he came home, he showed me his diary for homework. While checking it, I noticed instructions saying 'Read Kalma 1 and 2' and 'Read Fatiha.' I was shocked. Why are such religious practices being assigned to a six-year-old child? A school's responsibility is to provide quality education, not religious instruction," she said.
She further alleged that a similar instruction had appeared in the diary earlier but had later been struck off. "If this had happened once by mistake, we might have ignored it. In fact, I found that 'Read Kalma 1 and 2' had already been written once before and later struck off. I overlooked it then. But today, the same thing was written again, along with an instruction to read Fatiha," she said.
School's Response Allegedly Changed
According to the relative, when she questioned the school principal, she was initially told that the recitation was a religious practice and mandatory for all students. She alleged that the explanation later changed after the teacher reportedly described it as an error.
"I went to the school and questioned the principal. Initially, she told me that it was a religious practice and that it was mandatory for all students. That amounts to forcing children to follow a particular religious practice. Later, the teacher who had written it claimed it was a mistake. How can the explanation change like that? Personally, I feel this was done deliberately," she alleged. The school management has not publicly commented on these claims.
Family Seeks Education Department Inquiry
The relative said she later reviewed the entire homework diary and found another similar entry that had previously been struck off. She expressed concern that other students may have received similar assignments.
"After that, I checked the entire diary and found another similar entry that had been struck off earlier. I don't know how many other children's diaries contain such instructions. If this is part of an optional subject, then only those students who have chosen that subject should receive those assignments in separate diaries. My nephew's name, Liansh Krishna, is clearly written in this diary," she said.
Calling for an official investigation, she urged the Education Department to examine the school's practices.
"This issue should be investigated by the Education Department and the concerned authorities. Success School has several branches and associated institutions. We have no idea how many children are being given similar instructions. I reacted only because I happened to check the diary. If I hadn't, I would never have known about it," she said.
She added: "I will definitely raise this issue with the concerned educational authorities because this is completely unacceptable. Some parents may assume it is just another subject and ask their children to do it without questioning it. But when these practices are not part of a child's own faith or life, why should they be taught? This is a form of indirect brainwashing and an attempt to influence children," she added.
The allegations have sparked calls for an official inquiry into whether similar homework was assigned to other students. As of now, Success School has not issued a public response to the allegations or clarified whether the homework entries were made in error or formed part of any approved curriculum.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 16, 2026 04:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
