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Educational
Services in the Archdiocese
AFTER Evangelization, the greatest
thrust of the Archdiocese has been for Education.
"Open more schools" has been the constant advice of every
prelate to the missionaries, following the example of Mgr Oscar Sevrin,
S.J., who was of the opinion that a mission station without schools was
one without a future.
"Give us more schools" is the constant cry of our
Catholics. They have added another request: "Give us
Colleges."
It is interesting to note that in Pre-Independence days, in the vast rural
area known as Chotanagpur, the only schools, from Primary to High, of any
consequence, were run and maintained by the three missions: Lutheran,
Anglican and Roman Catholic.
Also in this period, the pioneers in the Education of tribal girls were
the Loreto, Ursuline and St. Anne Sisters. It is to the credit of
the Anglicans that they opened the first High School for Girls in Ranchi-
St. Margaret's.
In those Pre-Independence days, one boy out of a hundred attending a
Primary School, made the grade and matriculated. This was due to a
certain stagnation that set in after the Primary School. The
children did not care to continue their studies. They had had
enough. The parents were only too happy to have their children at
home. The boys were needed for ploughing and grazing cattle; the
girls for baby-sitting, plucking leaves and for "hands about the
house".
Much, however, had been achieved in the Primary Schools. The
following generations realized the value of an educated son, and later on
of a daughter who had been to school. Education was a stepping stone
to higher things, opportunities for better employment, an opening to the
Services.
Long before the Government of Bihar awarded scholarships to tribal
students, and granted remission of school fees for Tribals, the
Archdiocese, through the Catholic Cooperative Bank, had awarded stipends
to school-going children of its members. The Bank further granted
liberal loans, without interest, to be refunded in instalments, to
deserving students for higher studies in colleges.
Post-Independence saw a great upsurge in the Government's policy of
Education for the Tribes in the Ranchi District. Many Primary
Schools were opened, free books were provided to the pupils, a free meal
was given at noon; scholarships for higher studies were disbursed, hostels
for tribal students were started.
The Tribal Scholarships are about the only good that has remained of all
the inducements of the Government of Bihar to get the Tribes educated.
Meanwhile the mission schools flourished; their numbers grew; the rolls
soared to heights; High Schools multiplied; Colleges were opened.
To achieve all this, the Archdiocese had to fight for Recognition of its
Schools, for the Minority Rights, among others of appointing their own
teachers, even at College level, for salaries and D.A.
All Tribal Scholarships awarded to our boys and girls, all enhanced pay
and D.A. are channelled through the Block Development Officers of the
Government of Bihar. The Management of our Catholic Schools is in
the hands of the Parish Priests of the Archdiocese.
The Archdiocese has an Inspector of Schools, a priest, and layman as
Assistant Inspector. They act among other things as a liaison
between the State of Bihar and the Archdiocese in educational
matters. They edit a paper called Gram Guru - the Village Teacher.
Today this network of Catholic Schools covers every stage of Education
from Primary up to College Level, even into Post-Graduate
Specialization. The figures below speak for themselves:
Colleges and
Institutions
6
High
Schools
35
Middle
Schools
40
Primary
Schools
17
Village Primary
Schools
27
Hostel
Boys
8
Hostel
Girls
16
Nursing Training & Other Schools 13
Grihini
Schools
3
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