resources: education
Education and Change among the Tribal Peoples of Jharkhand
Posted on: May 25, 2005.
Modified on:
By James Toppo, S.J.
... cont'd from page 8.
"Animal Health Care and treatment of bovine illnesses" were yet other subjects, which found place in the curricula. When the educated young tribal boys, proficient in handling paper-work, returned to their villages, the put-on superiority of the half-baked Dikus was effectively challenged and a new confidence of being "somebody-not-a-nonentity-anymore" began to set in among the tribals.
The first court case in 1889, favouring the tribals over the Landlords’ Junta, heralded the dawn of a new age. In this case the landlords had accused nearly 300 tribals of revolt against the lawful revenue authority, while in fact it was a case of simple agrarian unrest against the malpractices of the Jamindars and the thikedars. The tribals hailed the verdict with jubilant celebrations everywhere. Indirectly, it spurred the young tribals all over the tribal belt to go for education.
The first court case in 1889, favouring the tribals over the Landlords’ Junta, heralded the dawn of a new age. In this case the landlords had accused nearly 300 tribals of revolt against the lawful revenue authority, while in fact it was a case of simple agrarian unrest against the malpractices of the Jamindars and the thikedars. The tribals hailed the verdict with jubilant celebrations everywhere. Indirectly, it spurred the young tribals all over the tribal belt to go for education.
As it turned out, majority of the tribals now "enjoying the fruits of education", were Christians. In a short span of five years Fr. Lievens had successfully launched a mass conversion movement, especially among the Uraons. Almost thirty thousand people had accepted Christianity already, and many more villages were in the waiting list. "New schools in every Mission centre" became the usual pattern of the expansion of the Mission. And if a village was big, a school could be started there even when it did not have a Mission centre.
With the improvised teachers’ training programme in place, the students who had passed the fifth, sixth, or seventh standards in Ranchi, qualified as teachers in the village schools. The craze for education mounted so high that by 1907 the number of the schools touched 588, imparting education to 18,256 pupils in Biru, Palkot, Doisa, Panari, Barway, Chechari, Jaria, Tamar and Ratu areas.
Each of the above listed areas was a kingdom or estate of a petty Raja or Jamindar. Significantly, the schools attracted students from Jashpur and Gangpur as well. No roads, no vehicles; just two, three or four-day walk! Undeterred however, selected students from the village schools walked through hilly paths to the central schools at Ranchi. With the exception of Zila School, all Christian schools in Ranchi catered only to the tribal children. That too, Christian tribals.
By far the best organized section was the two-year Junior Teachers’ Training Course to which the students enrolled on successful completion of their middle school. Records show that the Inspector of Schools found St. John’s, for instance, unexpectedly well organized, well managed and the tribal boys exceptionally well groomed.
In view of thoroughly planting education in the soil – contextually and practically embedded in the tribal life – the Mission also introduced trade and industrial lessons in the schools. Carpentry, black smithy, masonry, weaving and cloth making, crop care and animal husbandry skills were made subjects of study. Herbal medicine too was integrated into the curriculum.
By far the best organized section was the two-year Junior Teachers’ Training Course to which the students enrolled on successful completion of their middle school. Records show that the Inspector of Schools found St. John’s, for instance, unexpectedly well organized, well managed and the tribal boys exceptionally well groomed.
It so happened that the schooling business became a distinctive mark of the missionaries, even surpassing the Government machinery. “The progress of education among the Christian inhabitants (who were cent percent tribals) has had the effect of stirring up the Hindus and Musalmans to improve their conditions.” (Kumar, N.: Ranchi District Gazetteer, p. 467)
| Census |
Ranchi District |
| Year |
Literates per 1000 |
| 1861 |
not even 3 males |
| 1871 |
30 males |
| 1891 |
36 males |
| 1901 |
56 persons |
| 1911 |
93 persons |
Among the tribals too, progress of the Christian tribals in education and subsequent living style perceptibly distinguished them from their non-Christian tribal brethren in their own villages. The census of Ranchi District in 1911 clearly reveals this reality. Non-Christian tribals numbered 6,07,820 out of which merely 4,385 were recorded as literates, while the Christian tribals numbered merely 1,77,473, with 10,436 literates in their midst; almost three times more than the number of non-Christian tribal literates. (Kumar, N. : Ranchi District Gazetteer, p. 467)
There was a time when the survey report had shown Chotanagpur as the most backward area, as the above table indicates. Ranchi, where the tribal population was 78% in 1861, had the lowest educational graph even in comparison to Singbhum, Manbhum and Hazaribagh.
By the end of World War I, mere literacy was not the target of schooling anymore. Most school goers would now aim to pass the high school examination. Evidently, the forest tract, once devoid of rudimentary means of communication, was taking giant strides in education.
"Handiya" or rice beer in earthen pot is a popular local brew in Chotanagpur. Indeed, hardly any celebration would be complete without it. Excessive consumption of it is also a regrettably common sight.
"In addition to perpetuating the ills of Bihar, no suitable education policy to emancipate the tribals and backward classes has been worked out, despite several years of autonomy."