FR. Francis Chinnappan, S. J. (Principal)

St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Ratanpurwa

Education is considered as one of the most powerful tools for all-round development, emancipating action and safeguarding the rights of the socially excluded communities. Education plays a vital role in raising the critical social consciousness of the marginalized communities. Tharu, Oron and Musahar communities in Bagaha Sub divisional area have been suffering from stigmatized identities due to their socio-economic backwardness and oppression. Education being a powerful means of empowering these communities has eluded them. Hence Dalit Shiksha Evam Vikas Sanstha (DSVS) and St. Thomas School came to exist as a center and an educational Institution of advocating the cause of the underprivileged community from this area.

Dalit Shiksha Evam Vikas Sanstha (DSVS) a Registered Charitable Society founded in the year 1990 by Fr. Thomas Chakalakal,S.J., primarily to improve the quality of life for the poor to live with dignity. He began the mission with mass non-formal education program in 1979. Soon he realized that most of the Dalits and Tribals in the Subdivision Bagha-2 were under the clutches of big landlords, who had turned the browbeaten people of the area into bounded labourers. He fought tooth and nail legally and got the bounded labourers free. About one thousand freed bounded labourers were later rehabilitated though income generating handloom units. He had to pay for the cause for which he was attacked and kidnapped, and later he was released from the captivity after 15 days. The mission of education among the oppressed people has been continuing for the past four decades in the form of formal and Non-formal education system.