CONTRIBUTION OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES TO EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY OF TRIBALS IN JHARKHAND

In this article we seek to show that the work of Christian missionaries in various parts of India has been effective without any negative intention. Wherever missionaries are active, the people are found to be educationally developed, especially among the deprived, the poor, the exploited and those excluded from mainstream society. These missionaries gave hope to these people they have been trying to help educationally, socially, economically and politically. This research, based on the empirical studies of two villages, namely Itki and Bhagwanpur, in the Ranchi and Deoghar districts in Jharkhand State, concerning the role of missionary schools in tribal education, found many issues of relevance. The data was collected during 2006-2007 from students in the age group 6-14 years. However, the data also included the views of other groups of people, such as NGOs Representatives, tribal and non-tribals, local leaders, administrators and elected representatives. It tries to concentrate on unexplored areas of study. The paper constitutes the first kind study to focus on the empirical investigation of the role of Christian missionaries in educational development in the State of Jharkhand in India. This study has policy implications for understanding the various forms of their contribution to educating the tribals of Jharkhand. This study also confirmed that in Bhagwanpur village, the education level among the tribals was very much lower in comparison to Itki, because in this village, only a government school was present there.