Atishi Marlena was working to improve education standards at government schools, says AAP
Highlights
- She was working as Manish Sisodia's adviser on monthly salary of Re 1
- AAP government said centre's decision was political vendetta
- She was key to "improving the education system in Delhi," Mr Sisodia said
Of the nine advisers to the Delhi government, who were
sacked by the centre earlier this week, one name is gaining traction. Atishi Marlena's removal is also being seen as a setback to the efforts aimed at revamping the state of education in the government-run schools in the national capital.
Ms Marlena, who holds a degree from Oxford University, had been working as Education Minister Manish Sisodia's adviser on a token monthly salary of Re 1 for the last three years.
The Delhi government has linked the centre's decision to what it calls political vendetta.
"The target for this order is Atishi Marlena. It's because she was key to improving the education system in Delhi. I'm challenging BJP to find one state that it rules where government schools have not been shut down. And here in Delhi, we are improving the education system," alleged Mr Sisodia.
In the last three years, Delhi's government schemes have seen a host of measures to boost the quality of education. A nursery curriculum has been introduced, training sessions for teachers have been doubled, appointment of guest teachers has been fast-tracked and
parent-teacher meetings have been made mandatory.
"The foundation of learning is built in the early years and no other government across India has recognised the need for a pre-primary curriculum to be implemented. Earlier, teachers had to go and collect census data. That practice was stopped," said educationist Preeti Prasad.
While Ms Marlena and the BJP refused to comment on the central government's order, many others have extended support to Ms Marlena, an alumnus of St Stephen's College, Delhi.
No one can deny that @AtishiMarlena has done selfless and tireless work for Govt schools in Delhi, tweeted former AAP member Yogendra Yadav.
Filmmaker Shirish Kunder took a jibe at the recent move of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh to give ministerial status to religious leaders.
Actress Richa Chadha described Ms Marlena as an "exceptional academic and an asset to whoever she works with".