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Brain tumors present a significant global health challenge, and their early detection and accurate classification are crucial for effective treatment strategies. This study presents a novel approach combining a lightweight parallel depthwise separable convolutional neural network (PDSCNN) and a hybrid ridge regression extreme learning machine (RRELM) for accurately classifying four types of brain tumors (glioma, meningioma, no tumor, and pituitary) based on MRI images. The proposed approach enhances the visibility and clarity of tumor features in MRI images by employing contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE). A lightweight PDSCNN is then employed to extract relevant tumor-specific patterns while minimizing computational complexity. A hybrid RRELM model is proposed, enhancing the traditional ELM for improved classification performance. The proposed framework is compared with various state-of-the-art models in terms of classification accuracy, model parameters, and layer sizes. The proposed framework achieved remarkable average precision, recall, and accuracy values of 99.35%, 99.30%, and 99.22%, respectively, through five-fold cross-validation. The PDSCNN-RRELM outperformed the extreme learning machine model with pseudoinverse (PELM) and exhibited superior performance. The introduction of ridge regression in the ELM framework led to significant enhancements in classification performance model parameters and layer sizes compared to those of the state-of-the-art models. Additionally, the interpretability of the framework was demonstrated using Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), providing insights into the decision-making process and increasing confidence in real-world diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)